1
as in enemy
one that is hostile toward another
please name the novel's hero and his antagonist
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opponent
one that takes a position opposite another in a competition or conflict
his antagonist in the boxing match
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of antagonist
The $89 million box office hit established Lee as the go-to Western antagonist in Chinese cinema and opened doors to a decade of high-profile roles.
—
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Aug. 2025
The antagonists are, after all, identical: The billionaire hedge-fund manager Daniel Loeb, for instance, who is currently leading an effort to ensure Mamdani does not win in November, was part of a group of wealthy donors who urged Adams to sic the police on protesters last year.
—Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2025
Charmingly unhinged, Nicholson is likable enough to root a little for the antagonist.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025
The antagonist's plan has personal consequences for both drivers.
—Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Aug. 2025
The antagonists are, after all, identical: The billionaire hedge-fund manager Daniel Loeb, for instance, who is currently leading an effort to ensure Mamdani does not win in November, was part of a group of wealthy donors who urged Adams to sic the police on protesters last year.
—Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2025
Charmingly unhinged, Nicholson is likable enough to root a little for the antagonist.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025
The antagonist's plan has personal consequences for both drivers.
—Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonist
Noun
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Hardy from the Griffith Institute of Criminology says researchers are studying how police can deescalate interactions with sovereign citizens, who may view them as frontline enemies.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
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With many of the biggest rappers stateside on Drake’s enemies list, he’s seemingly found a wealth of inspiration across the pond.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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As the other undefeated team, Canada outscored its three opponents 19-4, but had to rely on some third-period outbursts to run up those offensive numbers.—
Carol Schram,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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On the ball, Maresca’s preference is for his side to build with short passes from his goalkeeper, often with the aim of baiting opponents into a press that creates space higher up the pitch.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Their problems don’t stop there, as in the process, several other foes are released, including a demon and a werewolf.—
Simon Thompson,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
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Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez, the mayor’s top foe on the 13-seat commission, blasted Levine Cava’s recent reveal of a budget situation that is less dire than first presented.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
30 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The company has quickly fallen behind rivals like Walmart, Amazon and Costco.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
20 Aug. 2025
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Multiple investigations and reports, including a bipartisan effort by the Senate Intelligence Committee, have found that Russia did indeed meddle in the 2016 election to help Trump defeat his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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While the base offers the security needed for such a summit, there are concerns over the optics of the head of state of an American adversary, visiting a U.S. military base.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
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Her concern is less about keeping pace with an adversary, more about shaping a collaborator.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Antagonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonist. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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