ᴘᴇʀᴘᴇᴛᴜᴀʟ ɪ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴍ ɴᴏᴛ sᴏ sᴜʀᴇ
Answer:
action or speech that makes someone annoyed or angry, especially deliberately: you should remain calm and not respond to provocation | he burst into tears at the slightest provocation.
• Law action or speech held to be likely to prompt physical retaliation: the assault had taken place under provocation
#3 i believe. It is the only answer that isn't too informal and also flows/transitions well into the paragraph.
