antagonize
verb (used with object)
to make hostile or unfriendly; make an enemy or antagonist of.
have antagonized
-
present perfectof antagonize.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
Baldwin’s public approach to clearing his name is risky, according to some legal and crisis-management experts, who suggested that by centering himself in the story, Baldwin could have antagonized prosecutors and lost public sympathy.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 23, 2023
It is easy to dismiss this aggression as misplaced, but antagonism toward outsiders is a necessary skill if outsiders have antagonized you your whole life.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 28, 2016
"The secretaries-general who've failed to get full second terms have antagonized one of the permanent five Security Council members," he said.
From Reuters ● Jun. 19, 2011
Mr. Coburn’s well-publicized attacks on federal spending have antagonized colleagues in both parties.
From New York Times ● Mar. 13, 2010
Had the first call been for 500,000 for three years, it would have looked as if he intended and desired a long and bloody war, and this would have antagonized large numbers of persons.
From The Life of Abraham Lincoln by Henry Ketcham
