Antagonize - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
To antagonize means to provoke or irritate someone, often causing hostility or conflict. It involves actions or words that deliberately annoy or oppose another person, making them unfriendly or resistant.
Definition:
To provoke hostility or opposition in someone.
Synonyms:
provoke, irritate, annoy, alienate
Part of Speech:
verb
Antonyms:
pacify, appease, placate
Common Collocations:
antagonize an opponent, antagonize the audience, antagonize a friend
Derivatives:
antagonism, antagonist, antagonistic
Usage Tips:
Use "antagonize" when describing actions that deliberately provoke or irritate others.
Common Phrases:
antagonize someone into action, avoid antagonizing, deliberately antagonize
Etymology:
From Greek "antagonizesthai," meaning to struggle against (anti- "against" + agon "contest").
Examples:
- 1. His rude comments only served to antagonize the crowd further.
- 2. She didn’t mean to antagonize her boss with her criticism.
- 3. Teasing your sibling will just antagonize them unnecessarily.
- 4. The politician’s speech seemed designed to antagonize his opponents.