Which word is most opposite in meaning to "mollify"?

The term "mollify" means to calm or soothe someone's feelings or temper. It involves reducing anger or anxiety and making a situation more agreeable. The word that is most opposite in meaning to "mollify" is "provoke," which means to incite or stir up strong feelings, often anger or irritation.

When you provoke someone, you are causing them to react in a way that often involves heightened emotions, contrary to what it means to mollify someone. In contrast, the other words—bestow, romanticize, and verify—do not carry the same emotional impact or connotation of directly opposing the soothing or calming effect that mollifying has. Thus, "provoke" stands out as the word that most clearly represents the opposite of mollifying someone's feelings.