Cool MateProvoke vs Remind
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Provoke
Top 2,000 (common)C1verb
Remind
Top 1,000 (very common)B1verb
Most common: Remind
| Provoke | Remind | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/prəˈvəʊk/","/prəˈvəʊks/","/prəˈvəʊkt/","/prəˈvəʊkɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/prəˈvəʊk/","/prəˈvəʊks/","/prəˈvəʊkt/","/prəˈvəʊkɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/rɪˈmaɪnd/","/rɪˈmaɪndz/","/rɪˈmaɪndɪd/","/rɪˈmaɪndɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/rɪˈmaɪnd/","/rɪˈmaɪndz/","/rɪˈmaɪndɪd/","/rɪˈmaɪndɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | to make someone feel a strong emotion, often anger | to help someone remember something |
| Example | The speaker's comments were intended to provoke a strong reaction from the audience. | Please remind me to call my mom later. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | B1 |
| Part of speech | verb | verb |
| Collocations | deliberately, inevitably, immediately, try to, be likely to, be designed to, into, to, easily provoked, deliberately, inevitably, immediately, try to, be likely to, be designed to, into, to, easily provoked | forcefully, forcibly, strongly, not have to, not need to, serve to, about, of, keep reminding somebody |
| Antonyms | calm, appease, soothe | forget, neglect |
| Common mistakes | 'Provoke' is sometimes confused with 'evoke', which means to bring to mind., Learners might forget to use an object, saying just 'provoke' instead of 'provoke someone'., Some may incorrectly use 'provoked to' without an appropriate emotion or reaction. | Confused with 'remember' - 'remind' requires an object., Incorrect preposition - remember to use 'of' after 'remind'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'provoke' to describe actions that cause strong emotional reactions. It's more neutral than aggressive, so avoid it in overly formal contexts. | Use 'remind' when you want to make someone aware of something they may have forgotten. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but avoid using it in very casual or playful situations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Provoke vs Remind
What's the difference between Provoke and Remind?
Provoke: to make someone feel a strong emotion, often anger Remind: to help someone remember something
Which is more common: Provoke and Remind?
Remind is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Provoke and Remind?
Provoke is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Provoke and Remind the same CEFR level?
Provoke: C1, Remind: B1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Provoke and Remind?
Provoke: verb, Remind: verb.
Can you show an example of each?
Provoke: The speaker's comments were intended to provoke a strong reaction from the audience. Remind: Please remind me to call my mom later.
Can I use Provoke and Remind interchangeably?
Not always. Provoke and Remind are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.