antagonizing

Stirring up conflict

Antagonizing is the act of provoking or irritating someone, often deliberately stirring up hostility or opposition.

When you're antagonizing someone, you're getting under their skin, pushing their buttons, or otherwise making yourself their adversary.

Stop antagonizing your sister.

The word implies an ongoing or repeated action rather than a single provocative moment, and often suggests the person doing it bears some responsibility for the conflict that follows.

provoking

irritating

Causing mild frustration

exasperatingIntensely irritating
infuriatingCausing extreme anger
incensingCausing extreme anger

enraging · annoying · galling · vexing · goading · baiting · taunting · teasing · needling · badgering

hostility

adversarial

Characterized by conflict

belligerentHostile and eager to clash
combativeInclined toward conflict
aggressiveHostile and confrontational

confrontational · pugnacious · bellicose · contentious · truculent · oppositional · defiant · hostile · warlike · militant

conflict

clash

Violent disagreement or collision

disputeVerbal clash over differences
frictionResistance between touching surfaces
tensionStretched or strained state

discord · rivalry · feud · disagreement · contention · quarrel · confrontation · opposition · strife · standoff

malice

spiteful

Wanting to hurt others

vindictiveSeeking harm from resentment
maliciousMeaning to do harm
rancorousMarked by bitter resentment

venomous · bitter · resentful · mean-spirited · ill-willed · hateful · nasty · cruel · vicious · toxic

antagonizing

irritating

adversarial

clash

spiteful

antagonizing

Opposites

Categories

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