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
Ali then exacts his revenge, pumping several rounds into Alamo's chest as the antagonistic figure falls for good.
—
Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
The French and American film industries have always been symbiotic, if also a little antagonistic.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 27 May 2026
Further, a separate gesture from De Paul that appeared antagonistic toward those supporters went uncaptured, as did Messi’s post-game maneuver to round up De Paul and Suarez, keeping them away explicitly from La Familia’s side of the stadium during post-game pleasantries.
—Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
While Foote attempted to project positivity, his daily briefings were often unclear and antagonistic with the local media.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonistic
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Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
The French and American film industries have always been symbiotic, if also a little antagonistic.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 27 May 2026
Further, a separate gesture from De Paul that appeared antagonistic toward those supporters went uncaptured, as did Messi’s post-game maneuver to round up De Paul and Suarez, keeping them away explicitly from La Familia’s side of the stadium during post-game pleasantries.
—Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
While Foote attempted to project positivity, his daily briefings were often unclear and antagonistic with the local media.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 19 May 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 5 Jun. 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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