Choose the appropriate synonym of the underlined word from the options given.
Rahul’s habit of parking his scooter in front of their gate began to antagonize the new neighbours.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Provoke
In the given sentence, antagonize means to make someone angry or unfriendly towards you. Its synonym is provoke. Example: Loud music late at night will only antagonize the people in the next flat.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Pacify | to make an angry or upset person calm (the opposite of antagonize) | The shopkeeper gave the crying child a toffee to pacify her. |
| (2) Embarrass | to make someone feel shy or ashamed (awkward, not angry) | Papa likes to embarrass me by showing my baby photos to guests. |
| (3) Provoke (answer) | to make someone angry or annoyed on purpose or by your actions (same as antagonize) | Do not provoke the street dog by throwing stones at it. |
| (4) Deceive | to make someone believe something that is not true | The fake caller tried to deceive Dadi into sharing her bank OTP. |
| Synonyms of antagonize: provoke, anger, annoy, irritate Antonyms of antagonize: pacify, calm, soothe, win over |