Meaning & use
poking the bear
Last updated
“poking the bear” is a form of “poke the bear”.
Meanings
phraseidiominformalfigurative
deliberately provoking a powerful person or group, often with risky consequences
Grammar: Used as a verb phrase; the -ing form 'poking the bear' often appears after 'be' or as a noun-like activity.
Patterns
- be poking the bear
- keep poking the bear
- stop poking the bear
By criticizing the giant tech company, the small startup was poking the bear.
Some say the senator is poking the bear with those remarks.
You don't want to be poking the bear right before the election.
phraseidiominformalfigurative
taking an action that is likely to cause a strong negative reaction from someone dangerous or powerful
Grammar: Often used with 'by' plus an -ing verb: poking the bear by asking questions.
Patterns
- poking the bear by doing something
- risk poking the bear
He was poking the bear by publishing those secret documents.
The company risked poking the bear when it sued the government.
Common combinations
- be poking the bear
- The journalist knew she was poking the bear by asking about the scandal.
- keep poking the bear
- If you keep poking the bear, you'll get a reaction you don't want.
- accused of poking the bear
- The minister was accused of poking the bear with his aggressive trade policies.
Synonyms and how they differ
- provoking
- A general word for making someone angry; 'poking the bear' specifically implies the target is powerful and dangerous.
- antagonizing
- More formal and direct; 'poking the bear' is figurative and often used in news commentary.
Word family
Practice
What does 'poking the bear' most likely mean in a business article?
Choose one answer.
'Poking the bear' is a figurative idiom meaning to provoke a powerful person or organization. The other options are literal or unrelated.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “poking the bear”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.