antagonize
verb
an·tag·o·nize an-ˈta-gə-ˌnīz 
antagonized; antagonizing
transitive verb
1
: to incur or provoke the hostility of
His criticism antagonized his friends.
2
: to act in opposition to : counteract
The drug is antagonized by methylxanthines, such as caffeine and theophylline … 
Scientific American Medicine
Scientific American Medicine
Synonyms
- embitter
- empoison
- envenom
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He didn't mean to antagonize you. Her comments antagonized many people.
Recent Examples on the Web But doing so might also antagonize or alienate Donald Trump and his supporters—something Scott is less interested in doing than, say, McConnell. Daniel Strauss, The New Republic, 31 Aug. 2022 On Tuesday, Arestovych criticized Ukrainians who prefer to antagonize all Russians instead of bringing them over to Kyiv’s side. Isabelle Khurshudyan, Washington Post, 9 Aug. 2022 Didn’t President Biden antagonize steel-exporting Canada enough by canceling the Keystone XL pipeline? The Editorial Board, WSJ, 3 Aug. 2022 The Russian campaign was all about creating Facebook groups meant to antagonize one another. Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2022 Now baseball is facing just that, an outcome that threatens to antagonize fans of a sport that has struggled in recent years to maintain its position in a crowded entertainment landscape. Jared Diamond, WSJ, 1 Mar. 2022 That has often meant going out of his way not to antagonize Mr. Trump or his staunchest allies in Congress. New York Times, 22 Apr. 2022 Trying to play the two sides against one another will likely antagonize both parties' vocal activists and leave business with no friends to defend it when the chips are down. Richard Galant, CNN, 24 Apr. 2022 Since last year, Iran has carefully cultivated a policy that did not officially recognize the Taliban as a legitimate government but engaged in diplomatic relations, in order not to antagonize it. New York Times, 28 Apr. 2022 See More
Daniel Strauss, The New Republic, 31 Aug. 2022 On Tuesday, Arestovych criticized Ukrainians who prefer to antagonize all Russians instead of bringing them over to Kyiv’s side. Isabelle Khurshudyan, Washington Post, 9 Aug. 2022 Didn’t President Biden antagonize steel-exporting Canada enough by canceling the Keystone XL pipeline? The Editorial Board, WSJ, 3 Aug. 2022 The Russian campaign was all about creating Facebook groups meant to antagonize one another. Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2022 Now baseball is facing just that, an outcome that threatens to antagonize fans of a sport that has struggled in recent years to maintain its position in a crowded entertainment landscape. Jared Diamond, WSJ, 1 Mar. 2022 That has often meant going out of his way not to antagonize Mr. Trump or his staunchest allies in Congress. New York Times, 22 Apr. 2022 Trying to play the two sides against one another will likely antagonize both parties' vocal activists and leave business with no friends to defend it when the chips are down. Richard Galant, CNN, 24 Apr. 2022 Since last year, Iran has carefully cultivated a policy that did not officially recognize the Taliban as a legitimate government but engaged in diplomatic relations, in order not to antagonize it. New York Times, 28 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Greek antagōnizesthai, from anti- + agōnizesthai to struggle, from agōn contest — more at agony
First Known Use
circa 1742, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Kids Definition
antagonize
verb
an·tag·o·nize an-ˈta-gə-ˌnīz
antagonized; antagonizing
: to stir up dislike or anger in
The bully antagonizes younger kids.
Medical Definition
antagonize
transitive verb
an·tag·o·nize
variants also British antagonise
an-ˈtag-ə-ˌnīz
antagonized also British antagonised; antagonizing also British antagonising
: to act in antagonism to : counteract
these effects are antagonized by atropine Ernest Bueding & Harry Most
Ernest Bueding & Harry Mostantagonizes
verb
as in angers
to implant bitter feelings in everything he said just antagonized the other side even more Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- angers
- infuriates
- enrages
- embitters
- aggravates
- sours
- envenoms
- empoisons
- estranges
- alienates
- incenses
- maddens
- sets (against)
- curdles
- disaffects
- disgruntles
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- endears
- appeases
- placates
- pacifies
- ingratiates
- assuages
- mollifies
- sweetens
- propitiates