What is the antonym of โdefuseโ?
The antonyms of defuse are aggravate, provoke, and incite. The antonyms aggravate, provoke, and incite convey a sense of making a situation worse or more intense.
Brief Definitions of the Antonym(s)
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
aggravate
To make a problem or situation worse, especially by making someone angry or annoyed.
Example
His constant interruptions only served to aggravate the already tense situation.
provoke
To deliberately make someone angry or annoyed, often by doing or saying something that upsets them.
Example
He knew that bringing up her ex-boyfriend would provoke her, but he did it anyway.
incite
To encourage or stir up violent or unlawful behavior, often for political reasons.
Example
The politician's speech was seen as an attempt to incite violence among his supporters.
How are these antonyms different from each other?
- 1Aggravate refers to making a situation worse, especially by making someone angry or annoyed.
- 2Provoke means to deliberately make someone angry or annoyed, often by doing or saying something that upsets them.
- 3Incite is a more serious term that refers to encouraging or stirring up violent or unlawful behavior, often for political reasons.
Good things to know
- 1Conflict Resolution: Use defuse to calm down a tense situation and prevent it from escalating.
- 2Political Discourse: Use aggravate, provoke, and incite to describe the actions of politicians or political movements.
- 3Writing: Utilize these antonyms in writing to create tension and conflict in stories.
Remember this!
The antonyms have distinct nuances: Aggravate and provoke refer to making a situation worse or more intense, while incite is a more serious term that refers to encouraging violent or unlawful behavior. Use these words to describe political discourse, create tension in writing, or resolve conflicts by defusing tense situations.
