antagonize (C1)
verb
Pronunciation: /ænˈtæɡənaɪz/
Definition
Cause someone to become hostile or resentful through annoying or provocative behavior.
Examples
She tried not to antagonize her boss by questioning his decisions in front of the entire team.
Constant teasing will only antagonize your classmates and make them less likely to help you.
He realized that his sarcastic comments were antagonizing the very people he needed to win over.
How to Use antagonize
- antagonize someone (collocation)
- to provoke a specific person — "Try not to antagonize the security guard."
- be antagonized by (prepositional phrase)
- to feel provoked by an action — "He was easily antagonized by any hint of criticism."
Synonyms of antagonize
Words with a similar meaning to antagonize:
Antonyms of antagonize
Words with the opposite meaning to antagonize:
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