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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of antagonist
Following the announcement, Arngrim took to Instagram to congratulate the young actress while passing the torch to the next star taking on the iconic antagonist.
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Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
Her main antagonist this evening is Kenny.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 27 May 2026
The antagonist in the story is designed to be an apex predator from this ecosystem.
—Sarah Lewin Frasier, Scientific American, 27 May 2026
Nate was a compelling, complex antagonist for Euphoria’s first two seasons, but this season has seen the man brutalized by frightening criminals who make his mind games look like child’s play.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
Her main antagonist this evening is Kenny.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 27 May 2026
The antagonist in the story is designed to be an apex predator from this ecosystem.
—Sarah Lewin Frasier, Scientific American, 27 May 2026
Nate was a compelling, complex antagonist for Euphoria’s first two seasons, but this season has seen the man brutalized by frightening criminals who make his mind games look like child’s play.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonist
Noun
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And both of them with the ability and desire to defend and scramble, and the hunger to attack at the first opportunity without letting a perfect ball be the enemy of the good.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
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Capable of traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5 while maneuvering in flight, these weapons are designed to compress enemy reaction times and evade many traditional missile defense systems.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
31 May 2026
Noun
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The Spurs became a formidable opponent against the Thunder in a seven-game playoff series and in three out of four regular-season matchups.—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
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Yet, San Antonio should be well-prepared for the challenge, having beaten the reigning champion Thunder, which started this season 24-1 and swept its first two playoff opponents.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
31 May 2026
Noun
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Daemon rocks the trailer with blood on his face from sticking his sword into foes.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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The Bruins have faced foes’ best efforts all season.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
Noun
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These two great rivals never raced each other again.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
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In the span of a week, the Golden State Valkyries and Indiana Fever have seemingly become rivals.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Also, Mars will slip into Gemini and your seventh house of agreements, commitments and adversaries, heating up relationship dynamics, making debates faster and more direct.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
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After prolonged ground wars in the Middle East, recovery ate up Army funding — at the same time the service needed to prepare to confront increasingly technologically advanced adversaries.—
Ryan D. McCarthy,
Washington Post,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Antagonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonist. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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