antagonist
To act in opposition to someone or something, or to provoke hostility and anger through specific actions or behavior. It involves intentionally or unintentionally creating an adversary or causing someone to become unfriendly.
Examples
3 of 5Try not to antagonize your little brother while he is trying to finish his homework.
Try not to antagonize your little brother while he is trying to finish his homework.
The diplomat was careful not to antagonize the neighboring country during the trade negotiations.
The diplomat was careful not to antagonize the neighboring country during the trade negotiations.
Look, I'm not trying to antagonize you, I'm just telling you what actually happened.
Look, I'm not trying to antagonize you, I'm just telling you what actually happened.
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think of the prefix 'Ant-' (against) and 'Agon' (struggle, as in agony). To antagonize is to cause a struggle against someone.
Quick Quiz
The CEO was careful not to ________ the board members before the final vote on the budget.
Correct!
The correct answer is: antagonize
Examples
Try not to antagonize your little brother while he is trying to finish his homework.
everydayTry not to antagonize your little brother while he is trying to finish his homework.
The diplomat was careful not to antagonize the neighboring country during the trade negotiations.
formalThe diplomat was careful not to antagonize the neighboring country during the trade negotiations.
Look, I'm not trying to antagonize you, I'm just telling you what actually happened.
informalLook, I'm not trying to antagonize you, I'm just telling you what actually happened.
In biochemistry, certain substances can antagonize the effects of specific hormones within the cellular structure.
academicIn biochemistry, certain substances can antagonize the effects of specific hormones within the cellular structure.
Changing the contract terms at this stage might antagonize our stakeholders and delay the merger.
businessChanging the contract terms at this stage might antagonize our stakeholders and delay the merger.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
antagonize the situation
to make a tense situation worse by being provocative
unnecessarily antagonize
to cause trouble or anger without a good reason
poke the bear
an idiom meaning to deliberately antagonize someone powerful
Often Confused With
Agitate means to stir up or disturb generally, while antagonize specifically focuses on making a person hostile toward you.
Aggravate means to make a problem or injury worse, whereas antagonize refers to upsetting a person.
Usage Notes
Use this verb when describing actions that turn someone into an enemy or create a defensive, angry reaction. In medical or scientific contexts, it can also mean to counteract or neutralize the effect of a drug or substance.
Common Mistakes
Learners often use the noun 'antagonist' when they mean the verb 'antagonize' (e.g., saying 'He tried to antagonist me' instead of 'He tried to antagonize me').
Memory Tip
Think of the prefix 'Ant-' (against) and 'Agon' (struggle, as in agony). To antagonize is to cause a struggle against someone.
Word Origin
From the Greek 'antagōnizesthai', meaning to struggle against or to prove a rival.
Grammar Patterns
Quick Quiz
The CEO was careful not to ________ the board members before the final vote on the budget.
Correct!
The correct answer is: antagonize
Related Vocabulary
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