What term means to annoy or provoke to anger?

The term that means to annoy or provoke to anger is "antagonize." Antagonizing someone involves causing them to become hostile or unfriendly, often through actions or words that create tension or conflict. This aligns with the idea of provoking a reaction from someone, especially negative emotions such as anger.

In the context of interpersonal interactions, when one person antagonizes another, they are deliberately or carelessly doing things that irritate or upset that individual, thus escalating a situation. Understanding this term is important for recognizing dynamics in conflict and communication, particularly within law enforcement or public safety contexts, where managing people's emotions can be critical.

The other terms, while related to provoking a response or emotion, have nuanced differences. For example, "aggravate" often refers to making a situation worse, "incite" typically involves encouraging or stirring up action, often in a more violent or aggressive sense, and "inflame" suggests intensifying feelings, particularly anger or passion. Each of these terms conveys a slightly different meaning regarding how one might provoke or annoy others.