Antagonisms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Oppositional dynamics or conflicts that result in tension and discord
2. The state of actively resisting or being hostile toward someone or something
3. A condition marked by mutual dislike or conflict between parties

Etymology: "Antagonisms" is the plural of "antagonism," and its core is a word for an opponent in a contest. The Ancient Greek "antagōnistēs" meant "opponent," formed from "antagōnizesthai," "to contend against" or "to struggle against." That verb rests on "agōn," a contest, and the same root gives English "agony" in its older sense of a struggle, as well as "agonist" and "protagonist," the "first contestant" in a drama. Notice how the sense has moved. Greek contests were athletic and dramatic, so an "antagonist" was simply the rival in the ring or on stage, with no suggestion of hatred. English kept the basic idea of two parties pitted against each other, and "antagonism" came to name the opposition itself, the force that pulls one thing against another. The plural form, "antagonisms," counts separate instances of that friction, such as the rival interests in a dispute.

Synonyms: oppositions, conflicts, rivalries, hostilities, enmities

Antonyms: cooperation, harmony, alliance, friendship, unity