Unfriendly behavior that causes anger or resentment.

synonyms: aggravation, irritation.

Roget 900: resentment, displeasure, animosity, anger, wrath, indignation; exasperation, bitter resentment, wrathful indignation.    pique, umbrage, huff, miff, soreness, dudgeon, acerbity, virulence, bitterness, acrimony, asperity, spleen, gall; heart-burning, heart-swelling; rankling.    ill humor, bad humor, ill temper, bad temper; irascibility etc. 901; ill blood etc. (hate) 898; revenge etc. 919.    excitement, irritation; warmth, bile, choler, ire, fume, pucker, dander, ferment, ebullition; towering passion, acharnement [Fr.], angry mood, taking, pet, tiff, passion, fit, tantrums.    burst, explosion, paroxysm, storm, rage, fury, desperation; violence etc. 173; fire and fury; vials of wrath; gnashing of teeth, hot blood, high words.    scowl etc. 895; sulks etc. 901.1. [Cause of umbrage] affront, provocation, offense; indignity etc. (insult) 929; grudge, crow to pluck, bone to pick, sore subject, casus belli [Lat.]; ill turn, outrage.    Furies, Eumenides.    buffet, slap in the face, box on the ear, rap on the knuckles.    ... show more

Roget 830: painfulness etc. adj.; trouble, care etc. (pain) 828; trial; affliction, infliction; blow, stroke, burden, load, curse; bitter pill, bitter draught; waters of bitterness.    annoyance, grievance, nuisance, vexation, mortification, sickener^†; bore, bother, pother, hot water, sea of troubles" [Hamlet], hornet's nest, plague, pest.    cancer, ulcer, sting, thorn; canker etc. (bane) 663; scorpion etc. (evil doer) 913; dagger etc. (arms) 727; scourge etc. (instrument of punishment) 975; carking care, canker worm of care.    mishap, misfortune etc. (adversity) 735; desagrement [Fr.], esclandre [Fr.], rub.    source of irritation, source of annoyance; wound, open sore; sore subject, skeleton in the closet; thorn in the flesh, thorn in one's side; where the shoe pinches, gall and wormwood.    sorry sight, heavy news, provocation; affront etc. 929; head and front of one's offending" [Othello]. infestation, molestation; malignity etc. (malevolence) 907.    ... show more

Roget 824: excitation of feeling; mental excitement; suscitation^†, galvanism, stimulation, piquance, piquancy, provocation, inspiration, calling forth, infection; animation, agitation, perturbation; subjugation, fascination, intoxication; enravishment^†; entrancement; pressure, tension, high pressure.    unction, impressiveness etc. adj.. trail of temper, casus belli [Lat.]; irritation etc. (anger) 900; passion etc. (state of excitability) 825; thrill etc. (feeling) 821; repression of feeling etc. 826; sensationalism, yellow journalism.    ... show more

Polish: pogorszenie

Something that incites or provokes; a means of arousing or stirring to action.

synonyms: incitation, incitement.

Roget 615: motive, springs of action, wellsprings of action.    reason, ground, call, principle; by end, by purpose; mainspring, primum mobile [Lat.], keystone; the why and the wherefore; pro and con, reason why; secret motive, arriere pensee [Fr.]; intention etc. 620.    inducement, consideration; attraction; loadstone; magnet, magnetism, magnetic force; allectation^†, allective^†; temptation, enticement, agacerie^†, allurement, witchery; bewitchment, bewitchery; charm; spell etc. 993; fascination, blandishment, cajolery; seduction, seducement; honeyed words, voice of the tempter, song of the Sirens forbidden fruit, golden apple.    persuasibility^†, persuasibleness^†; attractability^†; impressibility, susceptibility; softness; persuasiveness, attractiveness; tantalization^†.    influence, prompting, dictate, instance; impulse, impulsion; incitement, incitation; press, instigation; provocation etc. (excitation of feeling) 824; inspiration; persuasion, suasion; encouragement, advocacy; exhortation; advice etc. 695; solicitation etc. (request) 765; lobbyism; pull [Slang].    incentive, stimulus, spur, fillip, whip, goad, ankus^†, rowel, provocative, whet, dram.    bribe, lure; decoy, decoy duck; bait, trail of a red herring; bribery and corruption; sop, sop for Cerberus.    prompter, tempter; seducer, seductor^†; instigator, firebrand, incendiary; Siren, Circe; agent provocateur; lobbyist.    ... show more

Needed encouragement:
— The result was a provocation of vigorous investigation.

synonym: incitement.

Polish: prowokacja