1
as in enemies
one that is hostile toward another
our old cat seemed to consider the new kitten an adversary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 adversaries
Designating the company a supply chain risk cuts off Anthropic's defense work using an authority that was designed to prevent foreign adversaries from harming national security systems.
—
Arkansas Online, 10 Mar. 2026
Anthropic is suing the government over the designation, which is typically reserved for companies from countries the US views as adversaries.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth soon issued an order deeming Anthropic a supply chain risk, a designation typically reserved for companies linked to foreign adversaries.
—Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Last week, the DOD officially banned Anthropic's technology and deemed the company a supply chain risk, a label that's historically been reserved for foreign adversaries.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
Benoit Tessier / Reuters Russian media was awash Monday and Tuesday with headlines and analysis about how the soaring oil prices will affect the country, but also its adversaries in the West.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 10 Mar. 2026
Designating the company a supply chain risk cuts off Anthropic’s defense work using an authority that was designed to prevent foreign adversaries from harming national security systems.
—Matt O'Brien, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
This statement seemed to suggest that our adversaries were actively testing nuclear weapons, despite the fact that the United States has not tested one since 1992.
—Robert Peters, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2026
These losses can’t be replenished nearly quickly enough to avoid possible global repercussions, as far more formidable adversaries than Iran—Russia and China—assess the war-fighting capacity that America holds in reserve.
—Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2026
Arkansas Online, 10 Mar. 2026
Anthropic is suing the government over the designation, which is typically reserved for companies from countries the US views as adversaries.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth soon issued an order deeming Anthropic a supply chain risk, a designation typically reserved for companies linked to foreign adversaries.
—Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Last week, the DOD officially banned Anthropic's technology and deemed the company a supply chain risk, a label that's historically been reserved for foreign adversaries.
—Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
Benoit Tessier / Reuters Russian media was awash Monday and Tuesday with headlines and analysis about how the soaring oil prices will affect the country, but also its adversaries in the West.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 10 Mar. 2026
Designating the company a supply chain risk cuts off Anthropic’s defense work using an authority that was designed to prevent foreign adversaries from harming national security systems.
—Matt O'Brien, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
This statement seemed to suggest that our adversaries were actively testing nuclear weapons, despite the fact that the United States has not tested one since 1992.
—Robert Peters, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2026
These losses can’t be replenished nearly quickly enough to avoid possible global repercussions, as far more formidable adversaries than Iran—Russia and China—assess the war-fighting capacity that America holds in reserve.
—Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adversaries
Noun
-
Shakespeare’s fierce and primal tragedy follows the celebrated warrior who knows how to conquer enemies but not how to win hearts.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Encouraging Natural Predators Attracting the natural enemies of moles to your yard might not work overnight but pays great dividends in the long run.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Marcus Smart stepped in front of driving opponents.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Attorney Ryan Jacobson from Amundsen Davis said the payments covered attorneys fees for two ongoing lawsuits the senator brought against political opponents.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The public revelation on July 16, 1973, of a taping system designed to record all the president’s conversations stunned Nixon friends and foes alike.—
Douglass K. Daniel,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
In Oakland, the company has encountered numerous foes, including former Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, who unsuccessfully tried to indict Radius on numerous felony charges in 2023 over a massive fire that left black smoke billowing in the sky.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Live Nation has faced years of antitrust scrutiny over its 2010 acquisition of Ticketmaster, which was cleared by the Obama administration and later contested as inadequate by rivals, lawmakers and fans.—
Josh Sisco,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
-
HostArmada may lack Windows server support and has stricter storage and database size limits compared with rivals offering similar plans.—
Gabriel Zamora,
PC Magazine,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adversaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adversaries. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
