antagonizing 1 of 2

adjective

as in provoking

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Dissimilar Words

antagonizing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of antagonize
as in angering
to implant bitter feelings in everything he said just antagonized the other side even more

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of antagonizing
Verb
While the competition ignited the box office in a world-class example of counterprogramming, the move was seen as baiting and antagonizing the director. — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 21 July 2026 The thing is Georgia wasn’t antagonizing her (and Ariana tells her as much). — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 16 July 2026 Wilson, played by understudy Merrill Peiffer on opening night, recurs as a comedic yet antagonizing force throughout the show, making a years-long series of excuses for not promoting women’s suffrage. — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026 Hathaway’s style of play — gritty, aggressive, antagonizing — fits the mold that those former teammates have carried over to Florida. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 June 2026 On Monday against the Phoenix Mercury, Clark spent the game peeved at the officials and picked up her fifth technical after clapping in an antagonizing manner toward a rival. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 June 2026 Trump first began antagonizing Senate Republicans last month by endorsing challenges to two of their own incumbents. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 24 June 2026 Investor Michael Burry—of Big Short fame—considered antagonizing the richest man on the planet over the IPO of his latest company. — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 17 June 2026 Dalton Eatherly, 28, is known in Clarksville for deliberately antagonizing people on camera and also faces theft and disorderly conduct charges from a separate incident. — Kristin M. Hall, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonizing
  1. provoking
  2. angering
  3. aggravating
  4. enraging
  5. inflammatory
  6. infuriating
  7. annoying
  8. exasperating
Adjective
  • The Best Books of the Year (So Far) Our editors and critics choose the most captivating, notable, brilliant, surprising, absorbing, weird, thought-provoking, and talked-about books.
    — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 24 June 2026
  • Chiarella has come up with an ingenious premise that is as twisted as it is thought-provoking.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
Definition of provoking
Verb
  • Leaders of the Maine Democratic Party are still working toward a process to replace Graham Platner, without angering his supporters.
    — Dan Merica, Washington Post, 9 July 2026
  • The mayor floated the idea to place Williams on probation for six months, angering the city manager’s supporters in the crowd.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
Definition of angering
Adjective
  • These tiny insects are a summertime nuisance that prey on people, pets, and wildlife, including birds, leaving behind an aggravating itch that can last for more than a week.
    — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 22 July 2026
  • Arguments like this go back and forth and round and round, both sides—both truths—defining, aggravating, intensifying one another.
    — Kyle Devine, Longreads, 14 July 2026
Definition of aggravating
Verb
  • Before the agreement was announced, Israeli forces struck in Beirut, enraging Trump, who has publicly expressed his fury with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
    — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
  • In May 2021, after being elected to Parliament, Ben-Gvir established a makeshift office in a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem, enraging local residents.
    — Avi Issacharoff, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
Definition of enraging
Adjective
  • It’s used for inflammatory conditions as well as tissue repair, tendon and ligament healing.
    — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Chronic stress has implications for general health too, and can cause inflammatory and autoimmune symptoms.
    — Erin Clabough, The Conversation, 31 July 2026
Definition of inflammatory
Verb
  • Speaking to them on the phone is infuriating since most of the conversation is about what’s going on with Kaden.
    — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 17 July 2026
  • The result can be a more consistent connection, fewer interruptions and less of that infuriating mid-episode quality drop.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of infuriating
Adjective
  • In The Athletic’s anonymous annual player poll, he has been voted the NFL’s biggest trash talker and most annoying player.
    — Tim Graham, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The problem is with my stepson’s parents-in-law, both of whom are lovely but annoying.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 29 July 2026
Definition of annoying
Adjective
  • So much for the rational part of an exasperating season that marked the first time since 2014 that the Chiefs failed to make the playoffs.
    — Vahe Gregorian July 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • With the Angels, Mozeliak not only must overcome a losing culture, but also navigate a relationship with Moreno, a challenge his predecessors found exasperating.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of exasperating

Browse Nearby Words

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antagonizing
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Cite this Entry

“Antagonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonizing. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on antagonizing

Nglish: Translation of antagonizing for Spanish Speakers

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