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
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
Chin Han stars as Shang Tsung, one of the main antagonists in the first movie.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
The ensuing montage doesn’t heavily include Rushing, whose behavior in the opening weeks of the season has pointed to him being baseball’s newest antagonist.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 8 May 2026
The researchers tied this to caffeine’s role as an adenosine receptor antagonist.
—Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Keith Cooper, Space.com, 11 May 2026
Chin Han stars as Shang Tsung, one of the main antagonists in the first movie.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026
The ensuing montage doesn’t heavily include Rushing, whose behavior in the opening weeks of the season has pointed to him being baseball’s newest antagonist.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 8 May 2026
The researchers tied this to caffeine’s role as an adenosine receptor antagonist.
—Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonist
Noun
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Squad and platoon leaders can quickly launch drones to scout terrain, identify enemy positions and adjust movements without waiting for external support.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
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The nation’s capital is crawling with right-wing enemies of Social Security who would like nothing more.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Unsurprisingly, opponents of surrogacy have seized on the Arcadia scandal to call for an outright ban on the practice.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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Sara Keck struck out eight while going the distance as Wilmington won 5-1 over Middlesex League opponent Lexington.—
Brian Roach,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
Noun
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But soon enough, old secrets and new foes force them back together.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
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The nonconference schedule is loaded with power conference foes and could be the most ambitious in school history.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Noun
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The Angels had won seven consecutive games against the Dodgers, the franchise’s longest winning streak against its crosstown rival.—
Liana Handler,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2026
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Sean McVay’s team has a chip on its shoulder after watching the division rival Seattle Seahawks lift the Lombardi Trophy last season.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
Noun
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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
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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 17 May. 2026.
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