as in hostile
marked by opposition or ill will
countries that have been antagonistic towards each other for centuries
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Recent Examples of antagonistic
While the majority of the characters in the film operate on disparate sides of the political spectrum, Anderson made sure the relationships between them — even antagonistic ones — felt tangible.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
Advertisement The Pentagon in particular has had a tense, if not antagonistic, relationship with the press.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 20 Sep. 2025
Although that relationship can sometimes be antagonistic, the central bank has long had powerful supporters in both parties on Capitol Hill and on its key committees.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Climate scientists have faced not only extreme working conditions, but also antagonistic political movements that reject their findings and attempt to defund their work entirely.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonistic
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
Advertisement The Pentagon in particular has had a tense, if not antagonistic, relationship with the press.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 20 Sep. 2025
Although that relationship can sometimes be antagonistic, the central bank has long had powerful supporters in both parties on Capitol Hill and on its key committees.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Climate scientists have faced not only extreme working conditions, but also antagonistic political movements that reject their findings and attempt to defund their work entirely.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonistic
Adjective
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Tampa is heading into a hostile environment against a feisty Seattle Seahawks team that matches them with a 3-1 record.—
Josh Buckhalter,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Republicans, traditionally seen as more hostile to government, are often viewed as the shutdown aggressors.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The inflation hammering households is primarily due to the weak yen that the Abe government orchestrated with negative interest rates and massive monetary easing, causing a surge in energy and food prices that pinches voters’ wallets.—
Jeff Kingston,
Time,
4 Oct. 2025
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The website, though, shows a negative subtotal of more than $2 million, suggesting money allocated to the grant that was unspent.—
Meg Tirrell,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Antagonistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonistic. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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