antagonize
Group 27Difficulty 1/3
Definition
- (verb)
- To cause someone to become hostile; to provoke GRE
Example in Context
The senator's inflammatory remarks antagonized members of her own party, fracturing the coalition she had spent years building.
Synonyms
provokeannoyirritate
Etymology
From Greek meaning opponent, indicating provoking hostility.
- antagonistes (Greek) — opponent
Memory Aid
🐜Sounds like “ant tag on eyes”
Imagine ants tagging you on the eyes during a picnic — they ANTAGONIZE you!
Visual Association
😠A swarm of ants crawling on a person’s face, provoking a look of utter annoyance.
Semantic Clusters
Synonym Groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “antagonize” mean on the GRE?
antagonize (verb) means “To cause someone to become hostile; to provoke”. The senator's inflammatory remarks antagonized members of her own party, fracturing the coalition she had spent years building.
How to remember “antagonize” for the GRE?
Mnemonic: “antagonize” sounds like “ant tag on eyes”. Imagine ants tagging you on the eyes during a picnic — they ANTAGONIZE you!
What are synonyms for “antagonize”?
Common synonyms: provoke, annoy, irritate.