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Antagonise: meaning, definitions and examples

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antagonise

 

[ ænˈtæɡənaɪz ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

in social interactions

To antagonise means to provoke someone to have a negative reaction or response. It involves deliberately irritating or provoking someone to cause conflict.

Synonyms

inflame, irritate, provoke

Examples of usage

  • She knew that bringing up politics would antagonise her conservative uncle.
  • His constant criticism of her work only served to antagonise her further.
Context #2 | Verb

in relationships

To antagonise can also mean to act in a way that creates hostility or opposition between individuals or groups. It involves fostering animosity or conflict.

Synonyms

alienate, divided, estranged

Examples of usage

  • His refusal to compromise only served to antagonise the negotiations.
  • The company's decision to outsource jobs antagonised the local community.

Translations

Translations of the word "antagonise" in other languages:

🇵🇹 antagonizar

🇮🇳 विरोध करना

🇩🇪 antagonisieren

🇮🇩 memusuhi

🇺🇦 антагонізувати

🇵🇱 antagonizować

🇯🇵 敵対する (てきたいする)

🇫🇷 antagoniser

🇪🇸 antagonizar

🇹🇷 karşı çıkmak

🇰🇷 적대하다

🇸🇦 مناهضة

🇨🇿 antagonizovat

🇸🇰 antagonizovať

🇨🇳 对抗 (duìkàng)

🇸🇮 antagonizirati

🇮🇸 andstæða

🇰🇿 қарсы шығу

🇬🇪 ანტაგონიზება

🇦🇿 antagonizasiya etmək

🇲🇽 antagonizar

Etymology

The word 'antagonise' comes from the Greek word 'antagonizesthai', meaning 'to struggle against'. It entered the English language in the early 17th century, originally used in the context of conflict or opposition between individuals. Over time, its usage expanded to include provoking negative reactions or creating hostility. The term has evolved to encompass a range of social and relational dynamics involving conflict and opposition.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #36,990, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.