Antagonize

Pronunciation: /ænˈtæɡəˌnaɪz/

Definitions of antagonize

verb to cause someone to become hostile or angry

Example Sentences

A1 She didn't want to antagonize her friend by disagreeing with her.

A2 The teacher warned the students not to antagonize each other during the group project.

B1 The politician's controversial remarks antagonized many voters.

B2 The company's decision to outsource jobs antagonized the employees.

C1 The CEO's aggressive tactics antagonized rival companies in the industry.

C2 The athlete's behavior on and off the field antagonized fans and sponsors alike.

Examples of antagonize in a Sentence

formal It is not wise to antagonize your colleagues in the workplace.

informal Don't antagonize your sister, she's already in a bad mood.

slang If you keep antagonizing him, you're going to start a fight.

figurative His constant criticism seemed to antagonize her very soul.

Grammatical Forms of antagonize

• past tense: antagonized
• plural: antagonizes
• comparative: more antagonizing
• superlative: most antagonizing
• present tense: antagonize
• future tense: will antagonize
• perfect tense: has antagonized
• continuous tense: is antagonizing
• singular: antagonizes
• positive degree: antagonize
• infinitive: to antagonize
• gerund: antagonizing
• participle: antagonized

Origin and Evolution of antagonize

First Known Use: 1740 year

Language of Origin: Greek

Story behind the word: The word 'antagonize' originated from the Greek word 'antagonizesthai', which means to struggle against.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in a physical sense to describe direct opposition or conflict, the word 'antagonize' has evolved to also encompass more subtle forms of provocation or irritation in modern usage.