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Unsettle vs Provoke - What's the difference?

unsettle | provoke |

As verbs the difference between unsettle and provoke

is that unsettle is to make upset or uncomfortable while provoke is to cause someone to become annoyed or angry.

unsettle

English

Verb

(en-verb)
  • To make upset or uncomfortable
  • :Don't unsettle the horses or they'll bolt.
  • *{{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=May 9 , author=Jonathan Wilson , title=Europa League: Radamel Falcao's Atlético Madrid rout Athletic Bilbao , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=Athletic have been showing signs of fatigue domestically and they never quite seemed to reach the same pitch of intensity that had so unsettled Manchester United and Schalke 04 in earlier rounds. }}
  • To bring into disorder or disarray
  • Antonyms

    *settle

    provoke

    English

    Verb

    (provok)
  • to cause someone to become annoyed or angry.
  • Don't provoke the dog; it may try to bite you.
  • * Bible, Eph. vi. 4
  • Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath.
  • to bring about a reaction.
  • * J. Burroughs
  • To the poet the meaning is what he pleases to make it, what it provokes in his own soul.
  • *{{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=November 12 , author= , title=International friendly: England 1-0 Spain , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Spain were provoked into a response and Villa almost provided a swift equaliser when he rounded Hart but found the angle too acute and could only hit the side-netting.}}
  • (obsolete) To appeal.
  • (Dryden)

    Synonyms

    * (bring about a reaction) bring about, discompose, egg on, engender, evoke, grill, incite, induce, inflame, instigate, invoke, rouse, set off, stir up, whip up

    Derived terms

    * provocation * provocative