as in hostility
a deep-seated ill will
the antagonism between them was so bad they couldn't even sit near each other
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Recent Examples of antagonism
Israel prepared for 'boos' Eurovision has long strived to prioritize artistry over political antagonism.
—
Chloe Veltman,
NPR,
16 May 2026
That enthusiasm has died down amid mutual antagonism.
—
Youyou Zhou,
Washington Post,
14 May 2026
The tension between the couple, contrasted with their joint antagonism towards the devious narrator, is hilarious.
—
Rima Parikh,
Vulture,
10 May 2026
As ideological blocs collapsed, political scientist Samuel Huntington’s influential 1996 book Clash of Civilizations articulated a growing anxiety that globalization would harden into cultural antagonism rather than consensus.
—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonism
Chloe Veltman,
NPR,
16 May 2026
That enthusiasm has died down amid mutual antagonism.
—
Youyou Zhou,
Washington Post,
14 May 2026
The tension between the couple, contrasted with their joint antagonism towards the devious narrator, is hilarious.
—
Rima Parikh,
Vulture,
10 May 2026
As ideological blocs collapsed, political scientist Samuel Huntington’s influential 1996 book Clash of Civilizations articulated a growing anxiety that globalization would harden into cultural antagonism rather than consensus.
—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonism
Noun
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The accord called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a halt to hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon.
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The memorandum of understanding calls for an end to all hostilities, including in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have been fighting Hezbollah.
Noun
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So exemplary was Bergeron’s career, on the ice and off, there are no lingering grudges in this or that city, no bills to pay, no scores to settle.
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But pretty soon the two interlopers into this small, grudge-holding but tight-knit community — the kind where, going back generations, everybody not only knows but is mightily resentful of everyone else’s business — develop a kind of outsider kinship.
Noun
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Police investigations showed that the pair are suspected of displaying seditious items and selling publications with seditious content inside the shop, including materials inciting hatred against the city's government, the judiciary and law enforcement agencies, the government said.
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Not drinking seemed to me synonymous with a hatred of pleasure, a fascist quest for purity.
Cite this Entry
“Antagonism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonism. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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