Can a person be held responsible for defamation if they provoked someone into making false accusations against them? If not, what legal arguments can be used in such a situation?

Yes, a person can be held responsible for defamation even if they provoked someone into making false accusations. This is because the person who made the false accusations is still liable for defamation, and the person who provoked them may be held responsible for the provocation leading to the defamation. The legal argument used is that the provocation is considered an act of inducement, contributing to the defamation.