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
There wasn’t any antagonistic issue or anything like that.
—
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2025
Now that the federal government has adopted an antagonistic stance toward vaccines, the business of immunization looks even worse.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2025
Crowe will play a swordsman who mentors Cavill's Highlander, and Bautista will play an antagonistic immortal known as The Kurgen, while Gillan will star as Connor's very mortal wife.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Sep. 2025
In my imagination, the energy of the people and the land whose nonconsensual labor fuels AI are asserting agency as an antagonistic force against the very people and companies that enable their exploitation.
—Essence, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonistic
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Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2025
Now that the federal government has adopted an antagonistic stance toward vaccines, the business of immunization looks even worse.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2025
Crowe will play a swordsman who mentors Cavill's Highlander, and Bautista will play an antagonistic immortal known as The Kurgen, while Gillan will star as Connor's very mortal wife.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Sep. 2025
In my imagination, the energy of the people and the land whose nonconsensual labor fuels AI are asserting agency as an antagonistic force against the very people and companies that enable their exploitation.
—Essence, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonistic
Cite this Entry
“Antagonistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antagonistic. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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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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