1
as in enemy
one that is hostile toward another
please name the novel's hero and his antagonist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opponent
one that takes a position opposite another in a competition or conflict
his antagonist in the boxing match
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 antagonist
His chief antagonist is his caustic first wife, Queen Marguerite (Joy DeMichelle), who operates as a kind of a martinet death doula.
—
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
This new antagonist is a caricature of what can happen when egos, like extreme wealth, go unregulated.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
The character was a fan favorite as the antagonist to the series’ upstanding heroine Viki Lord, played by Erika Slezak.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 11 May 2026
Along the way, the poets encounter the likes of Cleopatra and the various antagonists of the Trojan War — Achilles, Helen of Troy and Paris — in the second circle where those who fell under the sin of lust end up.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
This new antagonist is a caricature of what can happen when egos, like extreme wealth, go unregulated.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
The character was a fan favorite as the antagonist to the series’ upstanding heroine Viki Lord, played by Erika Slezak.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 11 May 2026
Along the way, the poets encounter the likes of Cleopatra and the various antagonists of the Trojan War — Achilles, Helen of Troy and Paris — in the second circle where those who fell under the sin of lust end up.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonist
Noun
-
In addition to the rotating contestants, Darrell Hammond almost always appeared as Trebek's enemy, a fictional version of the late Sean Connery.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
-
This could potentially raise billions of dollars for Iran while also putting pressure on Tehran’s ruling party’s enemies worldwide.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Another candidate was an outspoken opponent, contending that the project was a sop to developers.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Sunday marked the second time this season that the Fever held an opponent to 78 points, which fittingly coincides with the team’s two wins.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Philly’s fans show out like few others can, and they’ll be leveled up in the presence of such familiar foes.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
-
But Sean Payton’s team was also abnormally good in one-score games, won its final two against division foes without their starting quarterbacks, played a third-place schedule and stayed fairly healthy — until overtime of the divisional round, at least.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Cooper officially claimed the first-ever cellphone call in history when Joel Engel — his rival at AT&T — answered.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
-
The overall design feels more luxury lifestyle than clinical chic—a knack that few spas have achieved so successfully, which means this is a much more relaxing place than many rivals.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
The system also offers powerful intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance features, such as cameras and a telescope, allowing operators to see farther and capture footage of adversaries in high detail and resolution, as per reports.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
-
The United States and China, the world’s largest economies, remain locked in a mutually dependent relationship as trading partners, economic competitors and adversaries.—
Youyou Zhou,
Washington Post,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Antagonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonist. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
