antagonize

American  

[an-tag-uh-nahyz] / ænˈtæg əˌnaɪz /

especially British, antagonise

verb (used with object)

• antagonizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• antagonized,
  past participle,  past
• antagonizing
  present participle

1. to make hostile or unfriendly; make an enemy or antagonist of.

   His speech antagonized many voters.

2. to act in opposition to; oppose.

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verb (used without object)

• antagonizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• antagonized,
  past participle,  past
• antagonizing
  present participle

1. Rare. to act antagonistically.

antagonize British  

/ ænˈtæɡəˌnaɪz /

verb

1. to make hostile; annoy or irritate

2. to act in opposition to or counteract

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antagonization
  noun
• reantagonize
  verb (used with object)
• antagonizable
  adjective
• unantagonizable
  adjective
• unantagonized
  adjective
• unantagonizing
  adjective
• unantagonizingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• antagonizing
  present
• antagonized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• antagonize
  simple
• antagonizes
  simple
• have antagonized
  perfect
• has antagonized
  perfect
• am antagonizing
  progressive
• are antagonizing
  progressive
• is antagonizing
  progressive
• have been antagonizing
  perfect progressive
• has been antagonizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• antagonized
  simple
• had antagonized
  perfect
• was antagonizing
  progressive
• were antagonizing
  progressive
• had been antagonizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will antagonize
  simple
• will have antagonized
  perfect
• will be antagonizing
  progressive
• will have been antagonizing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of antagonize

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

Explanation

To antagonize is to provoke someone to react angrily. If your mother tells you to stop antagonizing your brother, she's asking you to stop making him mad. Antagonize shares the same Greek roots with the word agony, so think about how much agony you cause your siblings when you tease and goad them into getting angry. Bugs Bunny is known to antagonize Elmer Fudd, who hunts but never does catch that wabbit. Actually Bugs antagonizes every cartoon character he comes into contact with! In English class, you'll often be asked to name the antagonist of a story or novel, the character who provokes the main character to act.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

antagonize antagonizes antagonized antagonizing

The plan could result in putting more U.S. troops closer to the Russian border, an outcome likely to antagonize Moscow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026

The former official asked not to be named because they work in public health and don’t want to antagonize the current administration.

From Salon ● Apr. 4, 2026

As was the lesson of “Saltburn,” never antagonize a minion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 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

“Mister...ah...Foaly. You have obviously not studied your psych texts. It is not wise to antagonize the hostage-taker. I may be unstable.”

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer

“He antagonizes me on Twitter,” he said to a bystander, in an attempt to pass me off a second time.

From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2024

However, naltrexone, in both short- and long-acting forms, has the opposite pharmacology: it antagonizes mu receptors, occupying them without activating them.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 13, 2023

It all makes for a slight but satisfying Gru origin story, as the budding baddie tries to impress the Vicious 6 and antagonizes Arkin’s vengeful Wild Knuckles along the way.

From Washington Post ● Jun. 28, 2022

The border with Pakistan is sometimes closed and sometimes open, a fitful pattern that antagonizes the Afghan pomegranate farmers and buyers to no end as they try to time their harvests, sales and exports.

From New York Times ● Nov. 21, 2021

Nothing worries and antagonizes a female bear more than to have people between her and her brood.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Some also contend the deal has unnecessarily antagonized China, Australia’s main trading partner.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025

When a person goes to the store and finds almost everything locked up behind plastic because of shoplifting, they may feel antagonized and triggered.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2025

Neither side was eager to prolong a battle that antagonized customers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2024

So, people who are sophisticated litigators often don’t do that because it so often fails, and all you’re left with is an angered and antagonized judge who you’ve just called biased.

From Slate ● Apr. 11, 2024

But this explanation only antagonized foes of the antipoverty group.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

He did so to avoid antagonizing parts of the political and religious establishment that categorically reject hereditary or dynastic succession.

From Salon ● Mar. 6, 2026

And, two, how did the Ottawa captain feel about the White House posting an A.I.-generated video on its TikTok account that purported to show Tkachuk antagonizing the country where he works?

From Slate ● Feb. 27, 2026

She needs to maintain her popular tough stance on China without overly antagonizing Japan’s No. 2 customer for exports.

From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026

Both leaders want to maintain their mutually beneficial energy relationship and show they can withstand U.S. pressure, without antagonizing Trump.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 5, 2025

I was not afraid, because Togbe had taught me that most animals only attacked if threatened, and out here I had a chance to meet them without anyone else antagonizing them.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

Related Words

• alienate
• anger
• annoy
• irritate
• offend