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

This evolutionary theory of aging is known as antagonistic pleiotropy. — Venki Ramakrishnan, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026

But Mark, in Ronson’s telling, quickly grows antagonistic, abruptly asking Ronson to sign an NDA, then later barraging him with suspicious texts and threatening him with a pair of goons. — Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026

One of the ways Fernandez would display it was by targeting ex-Chelsea players on the pitch, being antagonistic and winding them up, and fans loved him for it. — Simon Johnson, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Furthermore, a completely antagonistic sect says that there is nothing there at all – no sky-pie, just a solar myth, a fantastic bit of chanciness, etc. — Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 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