1
as in enemies
one that is hostile toward another
our old cat seemed to consider the new kitten an adversary
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opponents
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of adversaries
In recent years, the alliance has sought to be more transparent about nuclear exercises to reassure the public and partners while deterring potential adversaries.
—
Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025
The United States plans to upgrade its radars to improve their ability to identify hostile ballistic missiles targeting the homeland, according to a government announcement, as nuclear adversaries Russia, China and North Korea advance their missile capabilities.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
The case has raised concerns about a president using the justice system against his adversaries.
—Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025
Indeed, America’s adversaries, such as China, Russia, and Iran, as well as its allies, such as the United Kingdom and South Korea, are all exploring or implementing terrestrial backups for their GPS infrastructure.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2025
In December, the intelligence community updated its assessment to note that two unnamed agencies believed foreign adversaries may have developed technology that could be responsible for the symptoms experienced in some cases.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
Seoul, South Korea — A Japanese warship is on the way to the United States to be fitted with Tomahawk cruise missiles, the latest move by Washington and its Asian allies to beef up firepower as adversaries like China and North Korea expand theirs.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
The piece was quickly condemned, mostly by ideological adversaries of Ingersoll.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025
Some of my favorite characters from my childhood will get to take on their toughest adversaries ever next year at Universal Studios Hollywood.
—Robert Niles, Oc Register, 30 Sep. 2025
Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025
The United States plans to upgrade its radars to improve their ability to identify hostile ballistic missiles targeting the homeland, according to a government announcement, as nuclear adversaries Russia, China and North Korea advance their missile capabilities.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
The case has raised concerns about a president using the justice system against his adversaries.
—Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025
Indeed, America’s adversaries, such as China, Russia, and Iran, as well as its allies, such as the United Kingdom and South Korea, are all exploring or implementing terrestrial backups for their GPS infrastructure.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2025
In December, the intelligence community updated its assessment to note that two unnamed agencies believed foreign adversaries may have developed technology that could be responsible for the symptoms experienced in some cases.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
Seoul, South Korea — A Japanese warship is on the way to the United States to be fitted with Tomahawk cruise missiles, the latest move by Washington and its Asian allies to beef up firepower as adversaries like China and North Korea expand theirs.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
The piece was quickly condemned, mostly by ideological adversaries of Ingersoll.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025
Some of my favorite characters from my childhood will get to take on their toughest adversaries ever next year at Universal Studios Hollywood.
—Robert Niles, Oc Register, 30 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adversaries
Noun
-
The second rule is that yesterday's allies are tomorrow's enemies, and vice versa.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
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Blues, who included woke Luddites and other political enemies, would be shut out of the bounty—forced out, in fact.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But Hunter is larger than Strus, can man more brute opponents and churned out one of the more versatile shooting seasons of 2024-25.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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In leaked Telegram messages first reported by Politico, Young Republicans leaders privately made racist and otherwise offensive jokes about their political opponents.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The week before Thanksgiving, USC goes to Oregon for their first matchup as Big Ten foes after decades of facing off in the Pac-12.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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James is the first of a handful of Trump foes targeted by the Federal Housing Finance Agency with criminal referrals to face charges.—
Ella Lee,
The Hill,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Even after import tariffs—which are manufacturer-specific and based on the subsidies received by each firm from the Chinese government—Chinese EVs can still be significantly cheaper than European rivals.—
Andrew Saunders,
Fortune,
15 Oct. 2025
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The Yankees lost in the ALDS to their division rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays, in four games in a sad ending to their season.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Adversaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adversaries. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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