antagonize

A1N1T1A1G2O1N1I1Z10E1
UK/ænˈtæɡ.ɪ.naɪz/Canada, US[ɛənˈtæɡ.ɪ.naɪz]Canada, US/ænˈtæɡ.ə.naɪz/Canada, US[ɛənˈtæɡ.ə.naɪz]

verb

To work against; to oppose (especially to incite a reaction).

“The other children constantly antagonized Joe to the point of tears.”

Similar
harassopposepesteraggravateannoynettlerankleruffle
Opposite
appeasequell
OriginAncient Greek ἀνταγωνίζομαι →
UncommonScrabble 20
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Meanings

verbantagonize (third-person singular simple present antagonizes, present participle antagonizing, simple past and past participle antagonized)

present singular third person antagonizes · participle present antagonizing · participle past antagonized · past antagonized · alternative antagonise

  1. transitiveTo work against; to oppose (especially to incite a reaction).

    The other children constantly antagonized Joe to the point of tears.

    Synonyms: harass, oppose, pester, aggravate, annoy, nettle, rankle, ruffle · Antonyms: appease, quell

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo work against; to oppose (especially to incite a reaction).

Similar
harassopposepesteraggravateannoynettleranklerufflestingburn someone's assbotherdisgruntlebotheratebuggetgrateburn upbedevilacerbate
Opposite
appeasequell

More synonyms by meaning

verbprovoke the hostility of

Similar
antagonise
Broader
annoyragget to

verbact in opposition to

Similar
antagonisecounteract
Broader
actmove
Also see
aggravatealienateannoybedevilboil someone's pissbotherbotherateburn upchap someone's hidecheese offcounteractdevilenrageestrangeexasperatefrustrateget on someone's nervesget on someone's titsget on someone's wickget someone's goatget under someone's goatgive someone the shitsgramegrillgrind one's gearsharsh one's mellowhassleincenseinflameinfuriateirritatemolestmommicknarkoutragepee offpeevepiquepiss offprovokeraise someone's hacklesrilerile uproilrouserub someone the wrong wayruffle someone's feathersset offstormtee offtest someone's patiencetick offtorque offtroubleupsetvexwind up

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἀνταγωνίζομαι
  2. Englishantagonize

From Ancient Greek ἀνταγωνίζομαι (antagōnízomai), from ἀντι- (anti-) + ἀγωνίζομαι (agōnízomai). By surface analysis, ant- + agon + -ize.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Basque etsaitu
  • etsaituto oppose
Chinese Mandarin 對抗 /对抗
  • 對抗 /对抗 (duìkàng)to oppose
Dutch tegenwerken, antagoneren
  • tegenwerkento oppose
  • antagonerento oppose
Finnish vihastuttaa, suututtaa
  • vihastuttaato oppose
  • suututtaato oppose
French contrarier, antagoniser
  • contrarierto oppose
  • antagoniserto oppose
German antagonisieren, entgegenwirken
  • antagonisierento oppose
  • entgegenwirkento oppose
  • bekämpfento oppose
  • zu seinem Gegner machento oppose
  • anfeindento oppose
  • provozierento oppose
  • anpöbelnto oppose
Indonesian menentang
  • menentangto oppose
Irish olc a chur ar, cuir as do
  • olc a chur arto oppose
  • cuir as doto oppose
Italian opporsi
  • opporsito oppose
Māori whakatuma
  • whakatumato oppose
Persian دشمنی کردن
  • دشمنی کردن (došmani kardan)to oppose
Polish antagonizować, zantagonizować
  • antagonizowaćto oppose
  • zantagonizowaćto oppose
Portuguese antagonizar
  • antagonizarto oppose
Spanish antagonizar, contrariar
  • antagonizarto oppose
  • contrariarto oppose

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with antagonize

agonizedragonize
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

antagonize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antagonize

MLA

“antagonize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antagonize. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “antagonize,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antagonize.

Source: antagonize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.