Meaning & use

antagonism

noun·Academic

Active hostility or opposition between people, groups, or forces.

See it in a sentence

Years of border disputes left a deep antagonism between the two neighboring towns.

Her blunt criticism in the meeting sparked open antagonism among the team members.

A note on using this word

Antagonism suggests an active, often mutual clash, whereas 'animosity' can describe one-sided ill will that never surfaces openly.

Words with a similar meaning

hostilityanimosityenmity

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “antagonism”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.