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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enemy
one that is hostile toward another
the senator has many political opponents who would love to ruin his career
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of opponent
Colleyville Heritage will also have a tough opponent in Midlothian, the District 15-5A champion.
—
Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2025
The Celtics entered Wednesday night ranked first in avoiding opponent free throws.
—Jay King, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
House Democrats are making an unusual plea to billionaire Trump lieutenant Elon Musk: Come campaign for our Republican opponents next year.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 3 Apr. 2025
The proposal is still being drafted and has not yet been introduced in the state House; its details were described to The Denver Post by supporters and opponents Thursday.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opponent
Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2025
The Celtics entered Wednesday night ranked first in avoiding opponent free throws.
—Jay King, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
House Democrats are making an unusual plea to billionaire Trump lieutenant Elon Musk: Come campaign for our Republican opponents next year.
—Andrew Solender, Axios, 3 Apr. 2025
The proposal is still being drafted and has not yet been introduced in the state House; its details were described to The Denver Post by supporters and opponents Thursday.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opponent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opponent
Noun
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Still, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was impressed with his Yankees foes.—
Brendan Kuty,
The Athletic,
25 Mar. 2025
-
My body, equipped with the primordial fear of starvation, was a formidable foe.—
Emma Pattee,
Glamour,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Over the past few weeks, President Trump has used executive orders to wage war on law firms, specifically targeting those whose lawyers have investigated or sued him, or represented his enemies in court.—
Michael Barbaro,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
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After an all-out war between Jacob and his enemies, scores of lifeless bodies are left on the platform in a win for the current and future Duttons, including that of Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn).—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In at least one case, the governor has viewed an open presidential post as an opportunity to move a rival out of Tallahassee.—
Ana Ceballos,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2025
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Meanwhile, the Thunder have thrived against their conference rivals, posting a 36-13 mark.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Today, adversaries operate persistently, testing an enterprise’s security posture around the clock, and because of this, security teams are evolving from a reactive to a proactive, offensive security strategy.—
Seemant Sehgal,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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These tariffs represent the most aggressive U.S. trade stance in decades, targeting not only adversaries like China but also close allies including the EU, Japan, South Korea, and Canada.—
Lee Habeeb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Opponent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opponent. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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