Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'antagonize'

English Word: antagonize

Key Russian Translations:

• антагонизировать [ˌantəɡənʲɪˈzʲirəvətʲ] - [Formal, Rare]
• настраивать против [nəstrɐˈivatʲ ˈprotʲɪf] - [Informal, Common]
• вызывать враждебность [vɨzˈvɐtʲ vrɐʐˈdʲebnəstʲ] - [Neutral, Descriptive]

Frequency: Medium (especially "настраивать против")

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for "настраивать против"; C1 (Advanced) for "антагонизировать"

Pronunciation (Russian):

антагонизировать: [ˌantəɡənʲɪˈzʲirəvətʲ]

Note on антагонизировать: Stress falls on the fourth syllable; the 'г' is pronounced as a hard [ɡ].

настраивать против: [nəstrɐˈivatʲ ˈprotʲɪf]

Note on настраивать против: Stress on the second syllable of "настраивать" and first syllable of "против".

вызывать враждебность: [vɨzˈvɐtʲ vrɐʐˈdʲebnəstʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To cause someone to become hostile or opposed (general sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• настраивать против - Commonly used in conversational contexts to describe turning someone against another person or idea.
• вызывать враждебность - Often used to describe eliciting hostility or negative feelings, slightly more formal.

Usage Examples:

• Он настроил всех против нового проекта.

  He turned everyone against the new project.

• Её слова вызвали враждебность у коллег.

  Her words provoked hostility among her colleagues.

• Не стоит настраивать друзей друг против друга.

  You shouldn't turn friends against each other.

2. To oppose or act in opposition (formal or theoretical sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• антагонизировать - Rarely used, mostly in academic or formal writing to describe opposition or conflict in abstract terms.

Usage Examples:

• Эти две теории антагонизируют друг друга.

  These two theories antagonize each other.

• Политические взгляды антагонизировали общество.

  Political views antagonized society.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

антагонизировать (Verb, Transitive, Imperfective):

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense (Masculine)
1st Singular (I)	антагонизирую	антагонизировал
2nd Singular (You)	антагонизируешь	антагонизировал
3rd Singular (He/She/It)	антагонизирует	антагонизировал / антагонизировала

настраивать против (Verb Phrase, Imperfective): Follows the conjugation of "настраивать" (to set up/tune), combined with the preposition "против".

вызывать враждебность (Verb Phrase, Imperfective): Follows the conjugation of "вызывать" (to cause/call), with "враждебность" (hostility) as a fixed object in accusative case.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for "настраивать против":

• подстрекать
• возбуждать против

Note: "подстрекать" often implies incitement with a negative connotation, while "возбуждать против" is less common and more formal.

Antonyms for "настраивать против":

• мирить
• объединять

Related Phrases:

• настроить против себя - To turn someone against oneself (reflexive usage).
• вызывать чувство враждебности - To evoke a feeling of hostility (more descriptive).

Usage Notes:

• "настраивать против" is the most versatile and commonly used translation for "antagonize" in everyday speech, often used when describing personal or social conflicts.
• "антагонизировать" is very formal and rare, mostly appearing in written academic contexts. It may sound unnatural in casual conversation.
• "вызывать враждебность" is a descriptive phrase rather than a direct equivalent, often used to emphasize the result (hostility) rather than the action of antagonizing.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using "антагонизировать" in informal contexts. English learners might overuse this direct borrowing from "antagonize", but it sounds awkward in spoken Russian.

Incorrect: Я антагонизирую его каждый день. (I antagonize him every day.)

Correct: Я настраиваю его против себя каждый день. (I turn him against myself every day.)

Error 2: Misusing prepositions with "настраивать против". The preposition "против" is mandatory.

Incorrect: Он настраивает меня с ней. (He turns me with her.)

Correct: Он настраивает меня против неё. (He turns me against her.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, openly antagonizing someone can be seen as more confrontational than in some English-speaking contexts. The use of phrases like "настраивать против" often carries a sense of deliberate manipulation or provocation, so it’s important to be cautious with tone and intent when using such expressions.

Related Concepts:

• конфликт
• вражда
• противостояние