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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of adversary
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
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
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
1 July 2026
Their main purpose is not just to hit a target, but to convince an adversary that any major attack would invite devastating retaliation.
—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for adversary
Adjective
Yet distillation has been controversial when used by third parties — particularly in adversary nations like China or Russia — to replicate proprietary work without authorization.
—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
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
Noun
Could be adversaries politically; don’t have to like everybody.
—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
1 July 2026
Their main purpose is not just to hit a target, but to convince an adversary that any major attack would invite devastating retaliation.
—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for adversary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adversary
Adjective
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And until a Black commentator is held responsible for making openly hostile remarks about White people, nothing will change.
-
For example, in March, the crypto exchange Kraken put its multibillion‑dollar IPO on hold amid hostile market conditions, according to CoinDesk.
Noun
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His death in an enemy attack plays into a powerful Shi'ite tradition of martyrdom and mourning, in which processions of flagellants beat their chests or backs.
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The day for battle is near, many of our enemies are arming themselves.
Noun
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The program posed a massive political problem for Mamdani, who’s been criticized by both his allies and opponents for his stance.
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Other opponents generally feel compelled to drop an extra player into the back line, forming a back five against Japan’s front five — as the Netherlands did, with Frenkie de Jong dropping in from midfield.
Adjective
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The powder, sourced from California Dairies and supplied by a third party, tested negative for salmonella before the company used it in the chips.
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Apple, for instance, dropped 5% on April 8, its fourth-straight negative day.
Noun
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Unrestricted free agents Marcus Smart, 32, and Luke Kennard, 30, agreed to deals with Western Conference foes.
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There is so much evil and suffering in the world, so much conniving and malicious intent, and the self is, at least, a familiar foe.
Noun
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The South American rivals may just end up facing each other in a week.
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Adding another defender became even more important after guard Marcus Smart signed with Western Conference rival Houston.
Cite this Entry
“Adversary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adversary. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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