antagonism
Use Antagonism in a sentence
əˌnɪz noun
1.
an active hostility or opposition, as between unfriendly or conflicting groups: the antagonism between the liberal and the conservative parties.
2.
an opposing force, principle, or tendency: Her plan to become an actress met with the antagonism of her family.
3.
Physiology. an opposing action, as by one muscle in relation to another.
4.
Biochemistry, Pharmacology. the opposing action of substances, as drugs, that when taken together decrease the effectiveness of at least one of them ( contrasted with synergism ).
5.
Ecology.
a.
a relationship between two species of organisms in which the individuals of each species adversely affect the other, as in competition.
b.
the inhibition of the growth of one type of organism by a different type that is competing for the same ecological niche.
Related forms
in·ter·an·tag·o·nism, noun
Synonyms
1. conflict, friction, strife. 2. animosity.
1. conflict, friction, strife. 2. animosity.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To antagonism
00:10
Antagonism
is a GRE word you need to know.
So is iconoclast. Does it mean:
| to get a person to accept something inferior or undesirable |
| a person who attacks cherished beliefs, traditional institutions, etc., as being based on error or superstition. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
antagonism (ænˈtæɡəˌnɪzəm) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | openly expressed and usually mutual opposition |
| 2. | the inhibiting or nullifying action of one substance or organism on another |
| 3. | physiol the normal opposition between certain muscles |
| 4. | biology the inhibition or interference of growth of one kind of organism by another |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
antagonism
1838, from Gk. antagonisma, noun of action from antagonizesthai "to struggle against" (see antagonist).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
antagonism an·tag·o·nism (ān-tāg'ə-nĭz'əm)
n.
Mutual opposition in action between structures, agents, diseases, or physiological processes. Also called mutual resistance.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Example sentences
It's not a problem of hostility or antagonism, it's more of a problem of indifference.
The lessons of the past are ignored and obliterated in a contemporary antagonism known as the generation gap.
In this new naval antagonism that's emerging, our potential enemies are not trying to emulate what we're doing.
Scholars trace the nation's antagonism to its history of domination by foreign powers.
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