as in hostile
marked by opposition or ill will
there was a long history of adversary dealings between the two nations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in enemy
one that is hostile toward another
our old cat seemed to consider the new kitten an adversary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opponent
one that takes a position opposite another in a competition or conflict
our adversaries in tomorrow's meet are from one of the top schools in the league
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of adversary
Dan Morse, Alex Horton, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Sep. 2022
At the same time, Trump's tirades against trade deals with nations like China played into a belief among many people that such pacts had hollowed out the American dream, while building middle classes lives for citizens of adversary nations.
—Stephen Collinson, CNN, 28 Sep. 2017
Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
In the post–Cold War period, some in the United States believed that Russia was prepared to deliberately escalate any conflict—including through the use of nuclear weapons—to force its adversaries to back down.
—Nancy A. Youssef, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adversary
Adjective
Such sensitive information, along with financial information and private messages, is helpful for adversary intelligence agencies to use as leverage for blackmail or coercion.
—Dan Morse, Alex Horton, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Sep. 2022
At the same time, Trump's tirades against trade deals with nations like China played into a belief among many people that such pacts had hollowed out the American dream, while building middle classes lives for citizens of adversary nations.
—Stephen Collinson, CNN, 28 Sep. 2017
Noun
The teen was involved in an argument when his adversary stabbed him multiple times with a knife, said police.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
In the post–Cold War period, some in the United States believed that Russia was prepared to deliberately escalate any conflict—including through the use of nuclear weapons—to force its adversaries to back down.
—Nancy A. Youssef, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adversary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adversary
Adjective
-
The 45th president’s victory in the crowded 2016 primary effectively toppled the existing Republican Establishment, injecting the party with a combination of populism and distrust that was especially hostile to the way things were done before.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Customers will keep fighting back with dirty returns, unused reservations and hostile reviews.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Person after person portrayed Democrats as the enemy trying to drive a wedge between conservatives in an election year, where Republicans want to keep control of Congress and win races up and down the ballot.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Swalwell was among those named by Patel, who has said that his critics are mischaracterizing the appendix by calling it an enemies list.—
Perry Stein The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And yet the first half Sunday felt worse, because of the appalling volume of wide open Pacers three-pointers and the poor quality of the injury-riddled opponent.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The Heat have gone 23-22 against Eastern Conference opponents.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Court records and large-scale studies indicate that elite colleges’ race-aware and holistic admissions systems have operated as a negative factor for Asian American applicants, contributing to lower admission/attendance odds than similarly qualified white applicants.—
David Blobaum,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Apple’s latest iPhone software update is drawing attention—some of which is negative—not just for its incremental upgrades, but also for a shift in how users interact with one of its core apps.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The teams are potential first-round playoff foes, depending on how high the 10th-place Hornets can climb in the conference standings.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
-
That sounds more like a right-wing foe of public financing than a supporter.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Breaking a trend of players from his area who often choose the Wolverines' biggest rivals in East Lansing, Trey set his sights on Ann Arbor.—
Jack Springgate,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
But the entire episode proved a huge fundraising boon to Schiff, who pulled away from his rivals in the Senate primary and easily won the general election.—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adversary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adversary. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
