Advertisement

View synonyms for antagonize

antagonize

[ an-tag-uh-nahyz ]

verb (used with object)

, an·tag·o·nized, an·tag·o·niz·ing.
  1. to make hostile or unfriendly; make an enemy or antagonist of:

    His speech antagonized many voters.

  2. to act in opposition to; oppose.


verb (used without object)

, an·tag·o·nized, an·tag·o·niz·ing.
  1. Rare. to act antagonistically.

antagonize

/ ænˈtæɡəˌnaɪz /

verb

  1. to make hostile; annoy or irritate
  2. 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


Discover More

Derived Forms

  • anˈtagoˌnizable, adjective
  • anˌtagoniˈzation, noun
Discover More

Other Words From

  • an·tago·niza·ble adjective
  • an·tago·ni·zation noun
  • rean·tago·nize verb (used with object) reantagonized reantagonizing
  • unan·tago·niza·ble adjective
  • unan·tago·nized adjective
  • unan·tago·nizing adjective
  • unan·tago·nizing·ly adverb
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of antagonize1

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of antagonize1

C17: from Greek antagōnizesthai, from anti- + agōnizesthai to strive, from agōn contest
Discover More

Example Sentences

Overcoming resistanceFor some unvaccinated Americans, the FDA approval is the latest in a series of actions and appeals that have fallen flat or further antagonized them.

As I’ve written before, confronting people on social media—in Facebook posts, Twitter replies, Instagram comments—isn’t helpful and can antagonize others.

You will do your friend no favors by antagonizing the mother of her grandchild.

The film acknowledges this wrong, but never antagonizes the child.

If you want this city to prosper, you shouldn’t be antagonizing him.

Satirists occupy a perilous position—to skewer dogma and cant, and to antagonize the establishment while needing its protection.

Close attachment to autocratic regimes by the West pays short-term dividends but will antagonize generations of Muslims.

Going northward would antagonize Iraqi Sunnis, whom Washington and Baghdad are currently wooing.

So far in the States, he has eschewed the roaring, pumping, and scolding so as not to antagonize his new teammates and opponents.

Diplomatically, though, the big news is that Obama and Netanyahu will not antagonize each other.

He could not indorse the religious ideas taught in them, and he was not there that day to antagonize them.

It is not well to antagonize the priests, who hold us firmly to this law.

When he was angered it was as though the offender had managed to antagonize some natural law, or force or mass.

Don't antagonize him; we can't afford to fight this war on any more fronts than we are now.

To brave public opinion and antagonize the Lower House of Congress required the largest courage.

Advertisement

Related Words

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


antagonisticantagonizer