vex vs provoke

vex and provoke both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
vex	No	No	Yes	No
provoke	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, provoke is a hyponym of vex; that is, provoke is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than vex:

vex (verb)	provoke (verb)
be a mystery or bewildering to	provide the needed stimulus for
subject to prolonged examination, discussion, or deliberation	evoke or provoke to appear or occur
change the arrangement or position of	call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations	annoy continually or chronically
disturb the peace of mind of; afflict with mental agitation or distress