antagonize
UK[ænˈtæɡ.ə.naɪz]US[ænˈtæɡ.ə.naɪz]
v
to make someone feel angry or unfriendly towards you; to cause someone to become an opponent.
v
(biochemistry) to interfere with or inhibit the physiological action of another substance.
Morpheme Breakdown
ant
agon
ize
ant
against
agon
contest
ize
verb suffix
Etymology
the word 'antagonize' originates from the greek 'antagōnizesthai', meaning 'to struggle against', which is composed of 'anti-' (against) and 'agōn' (contest). the term 'agōn' referred to a public gathering, competition, or struggle, a concept central to greek culture. entering english via late latin and french, the verb evolved from its literal sense of physical contest to signify the act of provoking opposition or hostility in interpersonal or biochemical contexts, where one entity acts against another.
Analysis
Structure: ant (against) + agon (contest) + ize (verb suffix)
ant- (from greek anti, meaning 'against, opposite'); -agon- (from greek agōn, meaning 'contest, struggle'); -ize (verb-forming suffix from greek -izein via latin -izāre).
Examples
his constant criticism began to antagonize even his most loyal supporters.
you should avoid saying things that might antagonize the situation further.
this drug is designed to antagonize the effects of the harmful chemical.