1
as in foe
one that takes a position opposite another in a competition or conflict
in martial arts, before the match begins, always bow to your opponent
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2
as in enemy
one that is hostile toward another
the senator has many political opponents who would love to ruin his career
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Examples of opponent in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Oh, however, had already been outflanked to the right by his Democratic opponent, a fellow former council member named Cherelle Parker.
—
Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
The chief justice who ruled in Edison, viewed as an opponent of school choice, has since retired and was replaced by a justice who is viewed as pro-school choice.
—Patrick Gleason, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
Caleb Williams had three of those against Jacksonville and is more than capable of picking up chunks of yardage when the opponent is locked in man coverage.
—Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 23 Oct. 2024
Prince William Makes Surprise Visit to Favorite Soccer Team: 'Royalty Meets Aston Villa Royalty'
Villa's victory over Bayern was meaningful to fans, as the 1-0 finish was reminiscent of the same score and opponent of the 1982 European Cup.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opponent 
Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
The chief justice who ruled in Edison, viewed as an opponent of school choice, has since retired and was replaced by a justice who is viewed as pro-school choice.
—Patrick Gleason, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
Caleb Williams had three of those against Jacksonville and is more than capable of picking up chunks of yardage when the opponent is locked in man coverage.
—Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 23 Oct. 2024
Prince William Makes Surprise Visit to Favorite Soccer Team: 'Royalty Meets Aston Villa Royalty'
Villa's victory over Bayern was meaningful to fans, as the 1-0 finish was reminiscent of the same score and opponent of the 1982 European Cup.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opponent
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'opponent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Opponent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opponent. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.
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