ANTAGONISTIC Synonyms: 105 Similar and Opposite Words

antagonistic

adjective

(ˌ)an-ˌta-gə-ˈni-stik

Definition of antagonistic

as in hostile

marked by opposition or ill will countries that have been antagonistic towards each other for centuries

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of antagonistic And given this context, Anthropic’s actions are viewed by many within Washington as not simply unwise, but actively antagonistic. — Tina Nguyen, The Verge, 17 June 2026 Over the years, some players have chosen to make this rapport vaguely, hilariously antagonistic, and while players like James Acaster may have been the trailblazers in this respect, Sophie Duker elevated it to an art form. — Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 12 June 2026 The cowgirl character teams with old friend Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) to battle a tech takeover of their home from an antagonistic frog tablet named Lilypad (Greta Lee). — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 17 June 2026 He’s drawn to attempting to achieve things that his predecessors could not, including seizing territory for the United States (Greenland, for sure, but maybe Canada, too) and toppling antagonistic regimes (Venezuela, Iran, possibly Cuba). — Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for antagonistic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonistic

Adjective

And until a Black commentator is held responsible for making openly hostile remarks about White people, nothing will change.

— Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
For example, in March, the crypto exchange Kraken put its multibillion‑dollar IPO on hold amid hostile market conditions, according to CoinDesk.

— Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 2 July 2026

Definition of hostile

Adjective

The powder, sourced from California Dairies and supplied by a third party, tested negative for salmonella before the company used it in the chips.

— Sarah Jacoby, NBC news, 2 July 2026
Apple, for instance, dropped 5% on April 8, its fourth-straight negative day.

— Alex Harring,Luke Fountain, CNBC, 2 July 2026

Definition of negative

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antagonist

antagonistic

antagonistically

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“Antagonistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonistic. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of antagonistic

adjective

Example Sentences

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