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
Kristin M. Hall, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Between his antagonizing antics and soul-shaking shot-making, CJ McCollum needed only two playoff games to achieve Knicks villain status.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
One of the few sane adults left in his administration must have reminded him that antagonizing Catholics is a terrible political move.
—Gustavo Arellano, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
At a time when many in the business community tried to avoid antagonizing the Chinese government, Lai’s publications ran images that readers often brought to anti-government protests—including one that featured Hong Kong’s leader, Tung Chee-hwa, getting hit in the face with a pie.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Mar. 2026
Produced through his Loser Films shingle, the film is about a group of small-town amateur stuntmen whose days revolve around drinking, antagonizing their community, and filming crude, Jackass-style stunts.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2026
Dillon Brooks antagonizing, Devin Booker feigning indifference.
—Jason Quick, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
In 2023, the aforementioned Watts slammed Cutrone in an EW interview, over allegedly antagonizing her during an earlier challenge, which led to the pair's infamous on-air clash that resulted in Watts walking out of the judging deliberation and quitting the competition on the spot.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Feb. 2026
Even more important than retaining loyalists, as the Post’s recent history proves, is not deliberately antagonizing them or your own talent.
—John Williams, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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
Between his antagonizing antics and soul-shaking shot-making, CJ McCollum needed only two playoff games to achieve Knicks villain status.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
One of the few sane adults left in his administration must have reminded him that antagonizing Catholics is a terrible political move.
—Gustavo Arellano, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
At a time when many in the business community tried to avoid antagonizing the Chinese government, Lai’s publications ran images that readers often brought to anti-government protests—including one that featured Hong Kong’s leader, Tung Chee-hwa, getting hit in the face with a pie.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Mar. 2026
Produced through his Loser Films shingle, the film is about a group of small-town amateur stuntmen whose days revolve around drinking, antagonizing their community, and filming crude, Jackass-style stunts.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2026
Dillon Brooks antagonizing, Devin Booker feigning indifference.
—Jason Quick, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
In 2023, the aforementioned Watts slammed Cutrone in an EW interview, over allegedly antagonizing her during an earlier challenge, which led to the pair's infamous on-air clash that resulted in Watts walking out of the judging deliberation and quitting the competition on the spot.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Feb. 2026
Even more important than retaining loyalists, as the Post’s recent history proves, is not deliberately antagonizing them or your own talent.
—John Williams, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonizing
Adjective
-
Ambitious, thought-provoking, thrilling and passionate.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
6 May 2026
-
Then on May 1, amid the full moon in Scorpio, Venus will harmonize with Saturn in Aries, presenting the opportunity for something fun and thought-provoking to become real.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The retailer scaled back Pride displays and rolled back DEI programs, angering its liberal customers.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
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Months later, in January 1996, pilots again released clouds of leaflets north of the island, angering Fidel Castro and his brother Raúl Castro, who was serving as Cuba's defense minister at the time.—
Hank Tester,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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The onset of mating season this spring has escalated tensions, with the males’ loud early morning mating calls particularly aggravating residents.—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
-
Sitting back for 40 long, exhausting, aggravating minutes.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
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There's really nothing better than firing up a grill and having a nice barbecue, but few things are as enraging as getting ready to cook and realizing something is missing.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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The judge rejected the Suffolk District Attorney’s recommendation of 12 years and cut it in half, enraging prosecutors.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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In fatal cases, the defining biology is profound endothelial dysfunction, capillary leak, pulmonary edema, inflammatory-thrombotic activation, and shock.—
Steve Brozak,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
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Collins has little in common with Hale, who once reportedly beat a newspaper editor with a whip for publishing an inflammatory article about his mother.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
15 May 2026
Verb
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One of the most consistently infuriating elements of Yellowstone was how Sheridan kept positioning the Duttons — a family of land barons with immense political power and a penchant for murder — as righteous underdogs.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
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In addition to infuriating those crusty Canadian fans who hate these new-fangled markets — and to be clear, that’s also a selling point — this matchup would feature each side trying to put the ghosts of past failure to rest.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Sixty-three percent of Glamour readers polled think lurking is annoying and also kind of creepy.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
18 May 2026
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For instance, many partners have small gripes or annoyances with habits that are annoying at worst, but far from an outright red flag — like a partner that chews somewhat loudly, leaves cabinet doors open or hums constantly while working.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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Of course, that doesn’t mean the company — which is currently under intense financial pressure, probably explaining the whole exasperating situation in the first place — won’t just institute an even more aggravating popup that breaks the site for all users.—
Jon Christian,
Futurism,
30 Apr. 2026
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This led to many exasperating discussions of the nature/nurture theories of my education.—
Gilda Dangot-Simpkin,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Antagonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonizing. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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