Synonyms of adversaries

adversaries

noun

plural of adversary

1

as in enemies

one that is hostile toward another

our old cat seemed to consider the new kitten an adversary

Synonyms & Similar Words

• enemies
• opponents
• foes
• hostiles
• antagonists
• attackers
• rivals
• competitors
• combatants
• archenemies
• invaders
• assailants
• ill-wishers
• nemeses
• archfoes
• bêtes noires
• banes
• emulators

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• friends
• allies
• partners
• buddies
• colleagues
• pals
• fellows
• amigos
• chums
• cronies
• musketeers
• comrades
• collaborators
• compadres
• mates
• accomplices
• confederates
• adherents
• disciples
• abettors
• followers
• supporters
• hearties
• sympathizers
• benefactors
• hail-fellows
• friendlies
• hobnobbers
• exponents
• hail-fellows-well-met
• backers
• well-wishers

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

• opponents
• foes
• rivals
• competitors
• antagonists
• enemies
• contestants
• equals
• matches
• attackers
• combatants
• archenemies
• invaders
• assailants
• nemeses
• curses
• bêtes noires
• banes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• allies
• partners
• supporters
• accomplices
• advocates
• proponents
• confederates
• champions
• exponents
• sympathizers

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of adversaries

Bessent has been aggressive in using his public profile to pursue the administration's political adversaries. — Matt Peterson,lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026

Reducing troop levels could signal weakness to Iran and adversaries like Russia and China. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026

His team members were leaning more and more on AI tools to keep pace with increasing work volume caused by adversaries themselves driving up attacks with AI. — Fernando Fainzilber, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Allies or partners, after all, would not set strategic stability as the overarching goal of their relationship; only competitors, or even adversaries, need to do so. — Da Wei, Foreign Affairs, 7 Sep. 2026

He's spent large amounts of time courting and flirting with unpredictable adversaries like North Korea and Russia. — Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026

The Washington Post, in one of its editorials, said Trump treats allies worse than adversaries. — Tom Jurkowsky, Baltimore Sun, 31 Aug. 2026

For Tinubu and his chief adversaries Atiku and Obi, then, Nigeria’s security predicament will require more than election season sloganeering. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026

Even Carney’s political adversaries, who waste no opportunity to criticize the Liberal Party leader, support his walking away from the table. — Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026