A. Arouse
B. Induce
C. Evoke
D. Allay

Explanation:

The word provoke means to cause anger, annoyance, or to trigger a strong reaction in someone.

In simple words: to excite, irritate, or bring out strong emotions or actions.

The opposite of provoke is allay, which means to calm, reduce, or remove anger, fear, or worry.

So, Allay is the correct antonym of Provoke.

Real-Life Example

Imagine a situation in a classroom:

• A student makes fun of another student, causing him to get angry → this is provoking.
• The teacher calms the situation and reduces anger → this is allaying.

Create anger = Provoke
Calm down = Allay

Main Points for Exams

• Provoke means to irritate or trigger emotions.
• It is often used in emotional or behavioral contexts.
• Allay means to calm or reduce feelings.
• Arouse, Induce, and Evoke are similar to provoke.
• Therefore, Allay is the correct antonym of Provoke.
• This type of question is common in PPSC, FPSC, CSS, PMS, NTS, IELTS, TOEFL, and other competitive exams.

Quick Memory Trick

❌ Provoke = Create Anger
😌 Allay = Remove Anger

Trigger ↔ Calm
Provoke ↔ Allay ✔️