antagonistic
adjective
an·tag·o·nis·tic
(ˌ)an-ˌta-gə-ˈni-stik 
: showing dislike or opposition : marked by or resulting from antagonism
an antagonistic relationship
factions antagonistic to one another
Examples of antagonistic in a Sentence
They found it impossible to deal with such antagonistic groups.
countries that have been antagonistic towards each other for centuries
Recent Examples on the Web
Many in the former crown prince’s camp take a sharply antagonistic stance toward the rest of the opposition.
—
Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2026
Serkis will return to his role of the antagonistic creature Gollum, around whom the film centers.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Marius’ character was a bit of a plot twist, being one of the more openly antagonistic characters, in the beginning, at least.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
Ultimately, even when she’s supposed to play the most antagonistic female archetype, Darlene is simply too much of a mood and a vibe, and her fundamentally anti-Karen nature is good for TV but bad for the judging criteria in this challenge.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonistic
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Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2026
Serkis will return to his role of the antagonistic creature Gollum, around whom the film centers.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Marius’ character was a bit of a plot twist, being one of the more openly antagonistic characters, in the beginning, at least.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
Ultimately, even when she’s supposed to play the most antagonistic female archetype, Darlene is simply too much of a mood and a vibe, and her fundamentally anti-Karen nature is good for TV but bad for the judging criteria in this challenge.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonistic
Cite this Entry
“Antagonistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antagonistic. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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Medical Definition
antagonistic
adjective
an·tag·o·nis·tic
(ˌ)an-ˌtag-ə-ˈnis-tik
1
: characterized by or resulting from antagonism
antagonistic antibiotics
2
: relating to or being muscles that are antagonists
skeletal muscles arranged in antagonistic pairs
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