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

antagonistically

(ˌ)an-ˌta-gə-ˈni-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of antagonistic

• hostile
• negative

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

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, and Menin, a moderate democrat, have developed an antagonistic relationship in their first months of leadership. —Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026

Federal efforts to kill the project California must also contend with a federal government antagonistic toward offshore wind. —Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026

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

Word History

Etymology

see antagonize

First Known Use

circa 1637, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for antagonistic

• anachronistic
• animalistic
• antiphlogistic
• behavioristic
• cannibalistic
• capitalistic
• characteristic
• collectivistic
• deterministic
• ethnolinguistic
• expressionistic
• idealistic

Kids Definition

antagonistic

adjective

an·​tag·​o·​nis·​tic (ˌ)an-ˌtag-ə-ˈnis-tik 

: showing antagonism

antagonistically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

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

antagonistically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb