the.com/antagonize
To poke a bear, repeatedly, on purpose, while making eye contact.
means To provoke someone into hostility or opposition, usually by being deliberately irritating.
from From Greek antagonizesthai, to struggle against — anti (against) plus agon (contest), the same agon that gives us agony and protagonist.
Story cousinAntagonist shares the exact same root.
Built-in struggleAgon meant a public contest in Greece.
Pain linkAgony comes from the same word for struggle.