as in hostile
marked by opposition or ill will
there was a long history of adversary dealings between the two nations
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2026
The uploads raised concerns inside DHS because the agency oversees federal cyber defense against foreign adversaries, including Russia and China.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 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
Tommy also finds a partner in Gallino (Andy Garcia), his frequent adversary.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2026
The uploads raised concerns inside DHS because the agency oversees federal cyber defense against foreign adversaries, including Russia and China.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adversary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adversary
Adjective
-
His 134 men were armed with musket, cartridge pouch, and sword in case of a hostile encounter, and the Africaansche Galey lay close by with a couple of small cannon brought forward on the bow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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The broader goal, Rubio said, is a prosperous Venezuela aligned with the United States and no longer serving as a hub for hostile foreign powers.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Michael Malone, during his Nuggets days, was a genius at creating enemies, of underlining slights that may or may not have ever been real.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Hurt by Israel’s large-scale infiltration and strikes last year, Iran’s regime moved swiftly to brand those demanding change as enemies of the state.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Emmer has been a staunch opponent of Walz for some time, whose antagonism for the governor heightened once Walz became the vice presidential running mate to former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
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Garrett faced multiple opponents on 90 percent of his pass rushing snaps prior to Week 18, per PFF.—
Jacob Robinson,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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And one of the main lessons that will be learned from that account is that while the harms that occurred came quickly and sometimes surprisingly easily, their negative consequences — on universities and society at large — will linger for a long time.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The rapid rise of AI technology has had negative effects on the climate and humanity, albeit indirectly.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Trump believes exacting tariffs can be a useful tool in prodding friends and foes on the global stage to bend to his will.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Infiniti plays Willa in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, a girl whose revolutionary parents (DiCaprio and Teyana Taylor) face off against military foes.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Leo's primary rival is SpaceX's Starlink, which has more than 9,000 satellites in orbit and roughly 9 million customers.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Bombardier and Gulfstream are head-to-head rivals, with the Global series battling for market share against Gulfstream’s latest models.—
Michelle L. Price,
Fortune,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adversary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adversary. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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