Advanced and Proficiency Vocabulary for Exams(e.g.GRE, Banks, Civil Services, SAT / LSAT). For IELTS/TOEFL, and everyday spoken vocabulary, go to our Spoken Vocabulary Database.
antagonize | antagonistic | antagonism
annoy somebody or make them dislike you
- How to Memorize
- antagonize - annoy
- Analysis
When you ‘antagonize’ somebody, you provoke them to be hostile and react angrily towards you. This can be done unintentionally as a result of a real or perceived character flaw, or deliberately to unsettle somebody or make them lose their composure.
Exam DB Spoken DB Other Synonyms exasperate aggravate irritate, Antonyms mollifypacify uplift - Example(s)
Tom is not capable of dealing with customer complaints in a professional manner. All he does is antagonize them further with his poor attitude.
Our boss shoots down every suggestion that the team makes to her in a dismissive, antagonistic way, then wonders why staff morale is so low.
The setting up of peace talks between the two factions after years of mutual antagonism was a major breakthrough.
