An agent provocateur is a person who infiltrates a group or organization with the aim of inciting or provoking its members to commit illegal or disruptive acts. The term is often associated with law enforcement agencies or intelligence services using such tactics to gather information or disrupt criminal or terrorist activities. In this article, we will explore the definition and meaning of agent provocateur, its origin, associations, synonyms, antonyms, and examples of its usage in sentences.
Definitions
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, an agent provocateur is “a person employed to encourage others to break the law so that they can be arrested.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “a person who encourages others to commit illegal or violent acts, especially as a spy or undercover agent.”
Origin
The term agent provocateur has its roots in French, where it means “inciting agent.” It was first used in the 19th century to describe police agents who were sent to infiltrate political groups and incite them to commit illegal acts, thereby justifying their arrest and prosecution.
Meaning in different dictionaries
The Collins English Dictionary defines agent provocateur as “a person who joins a group with the intention of betraying it or disrupting its activities.” The Cambridge English Dictionary defines it as “a person who joins a group of people who are protesting in order to make trouble and encourage them to do things that they should not do.”
Associations
The term agent provocateur is often associated with law enforcement agencies, intelligence services, and political organizations. In some cases, it is used to describe individuals who infiltrate activist groups or social movements to disrupt their activities or discredit their message. The use of agent provocateurs has been controversial, with some critics arguing that it undermines democratic values and civil liberties.
Synonyms
Synonyms of agent provocateur include instigator, provocateur, agitator, troublemaker, and inciter.
Antonyms
Antonyms of agent provocateur include peacemaker, mediator, conciliator, and arbitrator.
The same root words
The term agent provocateur comes from the French words agent, meaning “agent” or “representative,” and provocateur, meaning “provocative” or “inciting.” Other words that share the same root include provoke, provocation, and provocative.
Example Sentences
- The police sent an agent provocateur to infiltrate the protest and incite violence.
- The activist group suspected that some of its members were agent provocateurs working for the government.
- The agent provocateur was able to gain the trust of the group and convince them to carry out an illegal act.
- The use of agent provocateurs has been criticized for violating civil liberties and undermining democratic values.
- The agent provocateur’s actions led to the arrest and prosecution of several members of the group.