Synonyms

antagonize

American

[an-tag-uh-nahyz] / ænˈtæg əˌnaɪz /

especially British, antagonise

verb (used with object)

to make hostile or unfriendly; make an enemy or antagonist of.

His speech antagonized many voters.
to act in opposition to; oppose.

verb (used without object)

Rare. to act antagonistically.

antagonize British

/ ænˈtæɡəˌnaɪz /

verb

to make hostile; annoy or irritate
to act in opposition to or counteract

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Etymology

Origin of antagonize

First recorded in 1625–35, antagonize is from the Greek word antagōnízesthai to contend against, dispute with. See ant-, agonize

Explanation

To antagonize is to provoke someone to react angrily. If your mother tells you to stop antagonizing your brother, she's asking you to stop making him mad. Antagonize shares the same Greek roots with the word agony, so think about how much agony you cause your siblings when you tease and goad them into getting angry. Bugs Bunny is known to antagonize Elmer Fudd, who hunts but never does catch that wabbit. Actually Bugs antagonizes every cartoon character he comes into contact with! In English class, you'll often be asked to name the antagonist of a story or novel, the character who provokes the main character to act.

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Vocabulary lists containing antagonize

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

antagonize antagonizes antagonized antagonizing

The plan could result in putting more U.S. troops closer to the Russian border, an outcome likely to antagonize Moscow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026

The former official asked not to be named because they work in public health and don’t want to antagonize the current administration.

From Salon ● Apr. 4, 2026

As was the lesson of “Saltburn,” never antagonize a minion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2026

There is more willingness to embrace the youth vote, rather than antagonize it, as far as campaign strategy goes.

From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2024

“There are worse ways to be remembered. At least they won’t antagonize you.”

From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth

“He antagonizes me on Twitter,” he said to a bystander, in an attempt to pass me off a second time.

From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2024

Instead the city is pursuing a policy that further antagonizes landlords and sends tenants the message that they might be able to get away with not paying rent if they fight hard enough.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2024

However, naltrexone, in both short- and long-acting forms, has the opposite pharmacology: it antagonizes mu receptors, occupying them without activating them.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 13, 2023

It all makes for a slight but satisfying Gru origin story, as the budding baddie tries to impress the Vicious 6 and antagonizes Arkin’s vengeful Wild Knuckles along the way.

From Washington Post ● Jun. 28, 2022

Nothing worries and antagonizes a female bear more than to have people between her and her brood.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Some also contend the deal has unnecessarily antagonized China, Australia’s main trading partner.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025

In a June 19, 1970 columna, he antagonized the left by describing the pachucos of a previous generation as “anarchistic.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2025

John Coffee, a law professor at Columbia Law School, said Costello "greatly antagonized" Merchan.

From Salon ● May 21, 2024

So, people who are sophisticated litigators often don’t do that because it so often fails, and all you’re left with is an angered and antagonized judge who you’ve just called biased.

From Slate ● Apr. 11, 2024

He was deeply antagonized by these men, but he knew they were simply carrying out a job assigned to them.

From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt

She needs to maintain her popular tough stance on China without overly antagonizing Japan’s No. 2 customer for exports.

From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026

In it, more realities of the killing are clarified: Good wasn’t antagonizing the agent, and she didn’t turn her wheels to try to hit him, but instead to drive away slowly.

From Slate ● Jan. 13, 2026

Zohran Mamdani, who just swept to victory in the New York City mayoral race, already faces his next big challenge: making the right hires without alienating loyalists or further antagonizing skeptics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 8, 2025

On the other, you have Baier trying to show he's tough by antagonizing and talking over her.

From Salon ● Nov. 4, 2024

Foaly, on the other hand, delighted in antagonizing his superior.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023