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

The former official asked not to be named because they work in public health and don’t want to antagonize the current administration.

From Salon ● Apr. 4, 2026

As was the lesson of “Saltburn,” never antagonize a minion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2026

There is more willingness to embrace the youth vote, rather than antagonize it, as far as campaign strategy goes.

From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2024

He was probably concerned that Workman, being unfamiliar with Seabiscuit, would overdo it and antagonize the horse.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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

The border with Pakistan is sometimes closed and sometimes open, a fitful pattern that antagonizes the Afghan pomegranate farmers and buyers to no end as they try to time their harvests, sales and exports.

From New York Times ● Nov. 21, 2021

By lambasting her, he pointlessly antagonizes those voters.

From Slate ● Sep. 30, 2020

A young man from Harlem joins a Southern university’s marching band but antagonizes the musical director and its leader.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 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

But Adeyemi describes suffering somatic pain and panic attacks, alleging she is still being antagonized behind the scenes.

From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2025

Neither side was eager to prolong a battle that antagonized customers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2024

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

From Slate ● May 21, 2024

But this explanation only antagonized foes of the antipoverty group.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Bargatze catapulted to mainstream status after portraying a silly version of the famously reprehensible though widely respected George Washington on “SNL” without antagonizing anyone, least of all Washington.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

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

Eric Sondheimer, The Times’ high school sports columnist, nicknamed the Trailblazers’ swarming, antagonizing defense the “Kaboom Squad” — a superhero-like, nonstop force of power, speed and IQ.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2025

Foaly, on the other hand, delighted in antagonizing his superior.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer