as in provoking
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as in angering
to implant bitter feelings in
everything he said just antagonized the other side even more
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Recent Examples of antagonizing
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
Rivers, in a Facebook post, accused Antao of inciting the attack by antagonizing her.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025
And Massie is nearing victory on a months-long quest to force a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files, antagonizing the White House.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2025
And by the demands of working with Shia LaBeouf, whose method hinges upon antagonizing his director at every turn.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2025
Despite their stauncher backing for Kyiv, European leaders also appear wary of antagonizing the president, while still defending Ukraine's demands for a ceasefire, security guarantees and its territorial integrity.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2025
So far, Ukrainian officials and European allies have tried to tread carefully to avoid antagonizing Trump.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 15 Aug. 2025
Attendees were roughly split between supporting and antagonizing Walton.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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
Rivers, in a Facebook post, accused Antao of inciting the attack by antagonizing her.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025
And Massie is nearing victory on a months-long quest to force a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files, antagonizing the White House.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2025
And by the demands of working with Shia LaBeouf, whose method hinges upon antagonizing his director at every turn.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2025
Despite their stauncher backing for Kyiv, European leaders also appear wary of antagonizing the president, while still defending Ukraine's demands for a ceasefire, security guarantees and its territorial integrity.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2025
So far, Ukrainian officials and European allies have tried to tread carefully to avoid antagonizing Trump.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 15 Aug. 2025
Attendees were roughly split between supporting and antagonizing Walton.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonizing
Adjective
-
The 2024 three-part docuseries American Nightmare dives headfirst into several thought-provoking issues, like victim blaming and the glaring inadequacies in the criminal justice system.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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The fish-out-of-water comedy costarred Sam Shepard and reminded audiences of Keaton’s deft skills at leading a movie that mixed the funny with the dramatic and thought-provoking.—
Dan Heching,
CNN Money,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Trump’s tariffs have backfired in numerous ways, including by angering US farmers – a key voting bloc – and creating a rare-earth shortage.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Following physical and emotional abuse, Lafferty became an anxious child who was constantly afraid of angering adults around her.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
According to court filings, the state is seeking the death penalty for both men, citing multiple aggravating factors.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Mears said the victim's age, 69, could be considered an aggravating factor and might lead to a tougher punishment if Sanchez is convicted.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Seattle’s defense has made fans think of the glory days when the Legion of Boom was enraging offenses around the league in the early 2010s.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
3 Nov. 2025
-
As part of these reforms, the Royal Navy impounded dozens of merchant vessels for allegedly evading customs duties, enraging merchants as well as mariners, shipwrights, stevedores, and others in port cities whose livelihoods depended on foreign commerce.—
Time,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In addition to her injury, Masters also suffers from hypothyroidism, which occurs when the thyroid gland doesn't make and release enough thyroid hormone in the bloodstream, as well as Lyme disease, an inflammatory illness usually caused by an infected tick bite.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
6 Nov. 2025
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Ye’s inflammatory remarks resulted in corporations such as Universal Music Group, Balenciaga, Gap and Adidas cutting ties with him.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Just a year after the bill was passed, it was rolled back to help pay for tax cuts – infuriating public health officials and anti-tobacco groups.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
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The story served as a springboard for a broader discussion about NBA rivalries, performative toughness and why Haliburton can be both charming and infuriating to opponents.—
Darnell Mayberry,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
For Blashill, the Blackhawks’ identity is being really, really annoying.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Sharon is extremely annoying, but my heart does break for her a tiny bit here.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Add it all up, and this season was more of an exasperating shortfall than a stumble — even if some stunning scoring droughts and recklessness on the basepaths conjured that feeling at times.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
1 Oct. 2025
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Its central character, Chevy Chase's Clark W. Griswold, is a dopey dad trying to keep it together amid an escalating series of exasperating frustrations and ignoble temptations.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Antagonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonizing. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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