antagonizar

To antagonize — to provoke hostility or put oneself in opposition to someone, often in politics or media (antagonizar con la oposición, un personaje que antagoniza al protagonista). A somewhat formal/journalistic verb, and in fiction/film criticism, used for a story's antagonist opposing the hero.

• El candidato prefirió no antagonizar a los votantes indecisos. — The candidate preferred not to antagonize undecided voters.
• El villano antagoniza al héroe durante toda la película. — The villain antagonizes the hero throughout the film.
• Los dos países llevan años antagonizando por la frontera. — The two countries have spent years at odds over the border.

Overusing antagonizar in casual conversation where oponerse a or enfrentarse a would sound more natural — it leans formal/journalistic rather than everyday.

Often confused with oponerse.