as in to infuriate
to implant bitter feelings in
everything he said just antagonized the other side even more
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Recent Examples of antagonize
Paying clients knew how vindictive Trump could be and didn’t want to antagonize him, even if no one imagined that a tactic quite as effective as the executive orders would soon be deployed.
—
Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2025
The announcement of Prevost as the first American to be named pope comes at a tense time for European-American relations, as the Trump administration is moving to isolate the United States and, in some cases, antagonize its traditional allies.
—Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
Her explosive personality and underhand tactics constantly antagonize Jenny, a down-to-earth woman who’s more or less content staying in her small hometown despite often being treated like an outsider.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
His main target is China, yet his go-it-alone approach led him to antagonize friendly countries that could help in a collective effort to isolate China.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonize
Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2025
The announcement of Prevost as the first American to be named pope comes at a tense time for European-American relations, as the Trump administration is moving to isolate the United States and, in some cases, antagonize its traditional allies.
—Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
Her explosive personality and underhand tactics constantly antagonize Jenny, a down-to-earth woman who’s more or less content staying in her small hometown despite often being treated like an outsider.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
His main target is China, yet his go-it-alone approach led him to antagonize friendly countries that could help in a collective effort to isolate China.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonize
Verb
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More: The infuriating ambiguity of 'fine' Broadhurst has since graduated from Oxford and is now pursuing a masters in forensic speech science at the University of York.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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But the new textbooks have infuriated former government loyalists who defend their version of history.—
Simon Montlake,
Christian Science Monitor,
16 May 2025
Verb
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Summer schedules since have been filled with other shows like Big Brother, Love Island USA, and various iterations of The Bachelor franchise keeping viewers entertained and/or enraged ever since.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
31 May 2025
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Market volatility has enraged Democrats and worried many Republicans as the country experiences whiplash from tariff announcements, leaving many people worried about their finances.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2025
Verb
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Target also said its first-quarter performance was affected by negative reactions to its pullback on diversity, equity and inclusion policies (DEI) in January, which angered some loyal customers who have long praised the company's commitment to inclusiveness.—
Siddharth Cavale,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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But the decision angered supporters of diversity and inclusion policies, who felt blindsided by Target.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
21 May 2025
Verb
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Domestic and regional actors often manipulate aid deliveries, creating a skewed economy that leaves some people embittered and others emboldened.—
Maha Yahya,
Foreign Affairs,
17 Feb. 2025
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Many people feel frustrated — embittered by what some view as an overly cautious approach by the Biden administration, and having endured months of delays in receiving American military assistance last year after it was held up in Congress.—
Marc Santora,
New York Times,
19 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Antagonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonize. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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