Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

antagonize

/ænˈtæɡ.ɪ.naɪz/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.58 in modern English

Syllables
an-tag-o-nize
IPA
/ænˈtæɡ.ɪ.naɪz/
20
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To work against; to oppose (especially to incite a reaction).

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀνταγωνίζομαι (antagōnízomai), from ἀντι- (anti-) + ἀγωνίζομαι (agōnízomai). By surface analysis, ant- + agon + -ize.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: ἀνταγωνίζομαι

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ænˈtæɡ.ɪ.naɪz/
  • British English: /ænˈtæɡ.ɪ.naɪz/

Usage

Inflected Forms

antagonizes (present, singular) antagonizing (participle, present) antagonized (participle, past) antagonized (past) antagonise (alternative)

Derived Forms

antagonizable antagonization antagonizer

Frequently Paired Words

agitate agonize antagonism antagonist antagonizing unantagonizing

Synonyms

harass oppose pester aggravate annoy nettle rankle ruffle sting burn someone's ass antagonize bother

Antonyms

appease quell

Rhymes With

agonize dragonize

Questions

How do you pronounce antagonize?
The recorded pronunciation is /ænˈtæɡ.ɪ.naɪz/.
What does antagonize mean?
To work against; to oppose (especially to incite a reaction).
Where does antagonize come from?
It is traced to Ancient Greek.

How to pronounce antagonize

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “antagonize”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ænˈtæɡ.ɪ.naɪz/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “antagonize”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “antagonize” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.