antagonize
verb
an·tag·o·nize
an-ˈta-gə-ˌnīz 
antagonized; antagonizing
1
: to incur or provoke the hostility of
His criticism antagonized his friends.
2
: to act in opposition to : counteract
The drug is antagonized by methylxanthines, such as caffeine and theophylline …—
Scientific American Medicine
Scientific American MedicineExamples of antagonize in a Sentence
He didn't mean to antagonize you.
Her comments antagonized many people.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sliwa warned both were taking the wrong approach by antagonizing the president.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025
The president could always pursue a consensus solution to America’s immigration problem through Congress rather than antagonizing our communities with blunt force and unconstitutional military deployments.
—Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Jelinek, who portrayed supporting character Jay (a bully who, alongside actor Larry Bagby's Ice, antagonizes Katz's Max at the start of the film), remembers Katz courting him to get high before rehearsal for a key scene helmed by director Kenny Ortega.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Oct. 2025
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance comes at a time when the government has antagonized Latino communities, spread anti-Latino rhetoric, and treated immigrants with abject cruelty, callously celebrating images of forceful, often violent arrests and brutal detainments.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonize
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Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025
The president could always pursue a consensus solution to America’s immigration problem through Congress rather than antagonizing our communities with blunt force and unconstitutional military deployments.
—Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Jelinek, who portrayed supporting character Jay (a bully who, alongside actor Larry Bagby's Ice, antagonizes Katz's Max at the start of the film), remembers Katz courting him to get high before rehearsal for a key scene helmed by director Kenny Ortega.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Oct. 2025
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance comes at a time when the government has antagonized Latino communities, spread anti-Latino rhetoric, and treated immigrants with abject cruelty, callously celebrating images of forceful, often violent arrests and brutal detainments.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonize
Cite this Entry
“Antagonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antagonize. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
antagonize
verb
an·tag·o·nize
an-ˈtag-ə-ˌnīz
antagonized; antagonizing
: to stir up dislike or anger in
Medical Definition
antagonize
transitive verb
an·tag·o·nize
variants
also British antagonise
antagonized also British antagonised; antagonizing also British antagonising
: to act in antagonism to : counteract
these effects are antagonized by atropine—Ernest Bueding & Harry Most
Ernest Bueding & Harry MostLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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