antagonize
Americanverb (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)
verb
-
to make hostile; annoy or irritate
-
to act in opposition to or counteract
Other Word Forms
- antagonizable adjective
- antagonization noun
- reantagonize verb (used with object)
- unantagonizable adjective
- unantagonized adjective
- unantagonizing adjective
- unantagonizingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of antagonize
First recorded in 1625–35, antagonize is from the Greek word antagōnízesthai to contend against, dispute with. See ant-, agonize
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.
Why would he show up and antagonize the justices?
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026
Which prompts the question: Why would companies that in theory couldn’t afford to antagonize their customers take this tack anyway?
From Slate • Aug. 4, 2025
Of course, any American has the right to criticize judges but defendants usually don't do it because generally it's a bad idea to unnecessarily antagonize someone who has such power over your life.
From Salon • Mar. 19, 2025
“When we are fighting for our survival, we can’t afford to antagonize either Biden or Trump,” Mr. Merezhko said.
From New York Times • Apr. 19, 2024
I wish I could ask God to give me another personality, one that doesn’t antagonize everyone.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
