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Antagonize vs Exacerbate - What's the difference?

antagonize | exacerbate |

In transitive terms the difference between antagonize and exacerbate

is that antagonize is to work against; oppose; especially to incite reaction while exacerbate is to make worse (pain, anger, etc.); aggravate.

antagonize

English

Alternative forms

* antagonise (non-Oxford British spelling)

Verb

  • To work against; oppose; especially to incite reaction.
    • The other children constantly antagonized Joe to the point of tears.

    Synonyms

    * pester, harass, oppose

    Antonyms

    * appease, quell

    Related terms

    () * agitate * antagonism * antagonist * antagonizing

    exacerbate

    English

    Verb

    (exacerbat)
  • To make worse (pain, anger, etc.); aggravate.
    • The proposed shutdown would exacerbate unemployment problems.
  • * 2013 , Louise Taylor, English talent gets left behind as Premier League keeps importing'' (in ''The Guardian , 20 August 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/aug/19/english-talent-premier-league-importing]
    • The reasons for this growing disconnect are myriad and complex but the situation is exacerbated by the reality that those English players who do smash through our game's "glass ceiling" command radically inflated transfer fees.

    Derived terms

    * exacerbatingly * exacerbation

    See also

    * exasperate ----