To cause someone to become hostile or opposed; to provoke someone into opposition or enmity. (British spelling of antagonize)
From Greek antagonistes (opponent, rival), derived from anti- (against) plus agonistes (combatant, from agon meaning 'struggle' or 'contest'), plus the verb suffix -ise.
The Greek root 'agon' doesn't just mean 'fight'—it also means 'contest' or 'struggle,' which is why great literature and drama are built on antagonism: conflict drives stories forward!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.