antagonize

The plan could result in putting more U.S. troops closer to the Russian border, an outcome likely to antagonize Moscow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026

“When we are fighting for our survival, we can’t afford to antagonize either Biden or Trump,” Mr. Merezhko said.

From New York Times ● Apr. 19, 2024

De León “continues to criminalize our unhoused neighbors and antagonize certain groups that are providing necessary support,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 1, 2024

Ordinarily, that would be the last thing that anyone would do is antagonize a judge like that.

From Slate ● Jan. 26, 2024

Gaston, her husband, took care not to antagonize her, although since that fatal noon when he got off the train he realized that his wife's determination had been provoked by a nostalgic mirage.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Instead the city is pursuing a policy that further antagonizes landlords and sends tenants the message that they might be able to get away with not paying rent if they fight hard enough.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2024

However, naltrexone, in both short- and long-acting forms, has the opposite pharmacology: it antagonizes mu receptors, occupying them without activating them.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 13, 2023

I enjoy art that antagonizes you, and then, slowly, in an emotional striptease, reveals a gooey, loving center.

From New York Times ● Mar. 17, 2022

It doesn’t stop the smoldering resentment that I feel deep down when she antagonizes me.

From Slate ● Aug. 30, 2019

Nothing worries and antagonizes a female bear more than to have people between her and her brood.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Some also contend the deal has unnecessarily antagonized China, Australia’s main trading partner.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025

In a June 19, 1970 columna, he antagonized the left by describing the pachucos of a previous generation as “anarchistic.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2025

John Coffee, a law professor at Columbia Law School, said Costello "greatly antagonized" Merchan.

From Salon ● May 21, 2024

Yet this month, it antagonized someone much more powerful, and is already retreating just a touch.

From Slate ● May 21, 2024

“They also debased their currency, undercut the universality of the iron law, and antagonized the Adem.”

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

She needs to maintain her popular tough stance on China without overly antagonizing Japan’s No. 2 customer for exports.

From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026

In it, more realities of the killing are clarified: Good wasn’t antagonizing the agent, and she didn’t turn her wheels to try to hit him, but instead to drive away slowly.

From Slate ● Jan. 13, 2026

Both leaders want to maintain their mutually beneficial energy relationship and show they can withstand U.S. pressure, without antagonizing Trump.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 5, 2025

On the other, you have Baier trying to show he's tough by antagonizing and talking over her.

From Salon ● Nov. 4, 2024

Libya—Mu’ammar Gadhafi was attempting to ingratiate himself with the United States and couldn’t take the chance of antagonizing President Bush.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady