He doesn't really mean that—he's just being deliberately provocative.

他不是真有此意，只不过是存心挑逗一下罢了。

《牛津词典》

Was the newspaper deliberately provocative?

是报纸蓄意挑衅？

youdao

Not one to shy away from bold statements, Chi Peng's images are deliberately provocative.

迟鹏所创作的画面具有特意的挑衅性，没有一幅作品避开大胆的宣言。

youdao

Others have noted well the paper's falling circulation and wondered aloud whether it is being deliberately provocative.

BBC: Mugshots and making headlines

However, if either action is performed in a deliberately provocative way, the results could be tragic.

ECONOMIST: Limiting Camp David��s damage

Other scenarios in the "deliberately provocative" study include gated communities and rising crime.

BBC: Sir Andrew Cubie