1
as in enemy
one that is hostile toward another
please name the novel's hero and his antagonist
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of antagonist
Tasked with walking a fine line between intimidating antagonist and friendly foil, Marsden plays Ashe like a live-wire that’s always about to blow.
—
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
To emphasize that new technology can’t change bad behavior, Josh mirrors many of the same demeaning and destructive traits of showrunner Paulie G (Lance Barber), the antagonist of Seasons One and Two.
—Jennifer Silverman, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2026
The mall, the boutique, the social architecture — that’s the antagonist.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
Today Washington and Havana are still antagonists, but the ideologies on each side have faded over the years.
—Quico Toro, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
To emphasize that new technology can’t change bad behavior, Josh mirrors many of the same demeaning and destructive traits of showrunner Paulie G (Lance Barber), the antagonist of Seasons One and Two.
—Jennifer Silverman, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2026
The mall, the boutique, the social architecture — that’s the antagonist.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
Today Washington and Havana are still antagonists, but the ideologies on each side have faded over the years.
—Quico Toro, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonist
Noun
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In natural systems, pests seldom reach outbreak levels because predators, parasitoids, and disease organisms (collectively called natural enemies) keep populations in check.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
5 Apr. 2026
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Targeting property Iran’s judiciary has begun seizing the property of public figures critical of the country’s rulers, under an anti-espionage law approved during last year’s 12-day war with Israel that punishes media and cultural activities deemed to support Iran’s enemies.—
Amir-Hussein Radjy,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His opponents have strong cases, too.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
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The metrics now tell us the Penguins’ most likely playoff opponent in two weeks will be the Flyers.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Included in what would become a season-high 12-game winning streak were road victories over future Elite Eight foe Iowa and Purdue.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
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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
Noun
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Anthropic has sought to distinguish its brand from OpenAI and other rivals by publicly emphasizing AI safety, highlighting its guardrails for keeping the technology in line.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Jesse Peno paced things offensively, sniping six goals while dishing out a pair of assists as Nauset coasted to a 20-8 romp of Cape and Islands League rival Sandwich.—
Brian Roach,
Boston Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The vehicle is expected to operate in high-intensity combat scenarios against near-peer adversaries while integrating advanced digital and autonomous systems.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
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Anthropic is the first American company to be given the designation, which has historically been reserved for foreign adversaries.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Antagonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonist. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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