antagonize
/ænˈtæɡ.ɪ.naɪz/ verb
Forms antagonizes antagonizing antagonized antagonise
- verb (transitive) To 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 sting burn someone's ass bother disgruntle botherate bug get grate burn up bedevil acerbate cheese off antagonise counteract
Antonyms
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἀνταγωνίζομαι (antagōnízomai), from ἀντι- (anti-) + ἀγωνίζομαι (agōnízomai). By surface analysis, ant- + agon + -ize.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To contend with; to oppose actively; to counteract.
- verb To act in opposition.
Etymology [Gr. Antagonism.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “antagonize”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details