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
Meanwhile, Iran rejected the proposal, saying a pause in fighting would allow adversaries to prepare for the continuation of the conflict.
—
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Information-sharing by US AI companies about adversarial distillation echoes a standard practice in the cybersecurity industry, where firms regularly swap data on attacks and adversaries’ tactics as a way to strengthen network defenses.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose term featured record numbers of disappearances and homicides, complained that political adversaries were exaggerating the problem to smear his reputation and legacy.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
He's got our priorities in terms of our friends and our adversaries all wrong.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
And yet, its adversaries have long sorted themselves into mutually hostile subgroups.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2026
There are lots of adversaries attacking Peach and Toad in the casino sequence.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026
The bill targets countries designated as foreign adversaries, including Communist China, according to the lawmakers.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Rollins made his return at the Elimination Chamber in February but found himself without either of his original adversaries available, with Breakker dealing with his hernia surgery and Reed sidelined by a torn bicep.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Information-sharing by US AI companies about adversarial distillation echoes a standard practice in the cybersecurity industry, where firms regularly swap data on attacks and adversaries’ tactics as a way to strengthen network defenses.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, whose term featured record numbers of disappearances and homicides, complained that political adversaries were exaggerating the problem to smear his reputation and legacy.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
He's got our priorities in terms of our friends and our adversaries all wrong.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
And yet, its adversaries have long sorted themselves into mutually hostile subgroups.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2026
There are lots of adversaries attacking Peach and Toad in the casino sequence.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026
The bill targets countries designated as foreign adversaries, including Communist China, according to the lawmakers.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Rollins made his return at the Elimination Chamber in February but found himself without either of his original adversaries available, with Breakker dealing with his hernia surgery and Reed sidelined by a torn bicep.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adversaries
Noun
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Those who relish killing people not only create more enemies but forget that it has been promised that fire would lead to Armageddon.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
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And their drone and missile strikes on their Muslim neighbors, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, are only creating new enemies.—
Donald Heflin,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Players schlep downstairs, wearing slippers or sandals, and walk through the game plan and what to expect from their opponents.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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His opponents have strong cases, too.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the horror sequel, Josh Hutcherson and Elizabeth Lail return to face new foes as well the old murderous animatronic animals of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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The second and final meeting of the regular season between the cross-conference foes at American Airlines Center went a bit differently Friday night.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But much like its rivals, the real season never built up a snow base to push skiing to its normal quality and season.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
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This claim and others have been amplified by rivals.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adversaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adversaries. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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