Standard Lemma guide

antagonistic

adj · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ænˌtæɡ.əˈnɪs.tɪk/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, General-American: /ænˌtæɡ.əˈnɪs.tɪk/
  • Canada, General-American: [ɛənˌtæɡ.əˈnɪs.tɪk]
  • Australian: /ænˌtæɡ.əˈnɪs.tɪk/
  • CMU ARPABET: AE0 N T AE2 G AH0 N IH1 S T IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Contending or acting against.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hostile, adverse, aggressive, antagonistic, assaultive, bellicose, belligerent, combative, martial, militaristic, philopolemic, philopolemical, pugnacious, quarrelsome, truculent, warlike

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Relating to an antagonist.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biochemistry, biology, chemistry, microbiology, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

used especially of drugs or muscles that counteract or neutralize each other's effect

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: incompatible

Antonyms: synergistic

4

adjective

Meaning 4

arousing animosity or hostility

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • his antagonistic brusqueness
  • Europe was antagonistic to the Unites States

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: conciliatory

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

incapable of harmonious association

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

characterized by antagonism or antipathy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • slaves antagonistic to their masters
  • antipathetic factions within the party

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: antipathetic, antipathetical

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

indicating opposition or resistance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: counter

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English antagonist Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English antagonistic From antagonist + -ic.

Across languages

Translations

24 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: antagonista — contending
  • Chinese Mandarin: 對抗性的 /对抗性的 (duìkàngxìng de) — contending
  • Esperanto: antagonista — contending
  • French: antagonique — contending
  • German: antagonistisch — contending
  • Greek: ανταγωνιστικός (antagonistikós) — contending
  • Hungarian: antagonisztikus — contending
  • Hungarian: ellenséges — contending
  • Hungarian: szemben álló — contending
  • Kazakh: антагонистік (antagonistık) — contending
  • Latin: infestus — contending
  • Māori: nihoniho — contending
  • Māori: ngākaukino — contending
  • Polish: antagonistyczny — contending
  • Portuguese: antagonista — contending
  • Portuguese: antagónico — contending
  • Portuguese: antagônico — contending
  • Portuguese: antagonístico — contending
  • Romanian: antagonic — contending
  • Romanian: antagonist — contending
  • Spanish: antagonista — contending
  • Spanish: hostil — contending
  • Spanish: antagónico — contending
  • Hungarian: antagonista — biochemistry: relating to an antagonist