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
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Recent Examples of antagonist
Having the most fun on screen is Billy Magnussen as Pleakley, a quaint extraterrestrial obsessed with Earth, tasked with retrieving Stitch and watching over Jumba (Zach Galifianakis), Stitch’s creator and the tale’s antagonist.
—
Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025
And then there’s Haliburton, the superstar and perfect Knicks antagonist.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 22 May 2025
One scene sure to be an audience favorite has David and his antagonist facing off on either side of the glass wall in a recording studio, sparking a hilarious impromptu rap battle of sorts.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2025
The Conversations 'Lulu Is a Rhinoceros' Can Inspire Between Kids and Parents
One aspect of the special that parents might particularly appreciate is that Lulu’s antagonist isn’t a bad guy.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025
And then there’s Haliburton, the superstar and perfect Knicks antagonist.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 22 May 2025
One scene sure to be an audience favorite has David and his antagonist facing off on either side of the glass wall in a recording studio, sparking a hilarious impromptu rap battle of sorts.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2025
The Conversations 'Lulu Is a Rhinoceros' Can Inspire Between Kids and Parents
One aspect of the special that parents might particularly appreciate is that Lulu’s antagonist isn’t a bad guy.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonist
Noun
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Watch Prey on Hulu Predator The original Predator movie is set in the present day (which would be 1987) and follows a paramilitary rescue team who quickly discovers that rebel forces in the South American jungle aren’t their most dangerous enemy.—
Keith Langston,
People.com,
6 June 2025
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As the resupply convoys approach the forward locations, they are frequently targeted and destroyed by enemy drones.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Noun
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His main opponent, former radio host Bill Spadea, has painted himself as a Trump loyalist.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
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Rothstein reported that the game will take place on Black Friday, Nov. 28, adding yet another high-major opponent to the monster nonconference schedule Dan Hurley and staff are putting together.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
2 June 2025
Noun
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Eventually, even the foes of the tolling will realize that Prof. Vickrey was correct and that everyone is better off.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2025
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The Spartans swept all three foes by 7-0 scores to become the first school in league history to win four consecutive state tennis crowns.—
Dave Wright,
Twin Cities,
5 June 2025
Noun
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After beginning the year as the most valuable company in the world, Apple now ranks third behind longtime rival Microsoft, another AI leader, and AI chipmaker Nvidia.—
Michael Liedtke,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
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The Royals entered the three-game series having won 10 consecutive games against their American League Central rivals.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2025
Noun
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History clearly shows that building strategic nuclear forces creates painful defense dilemmas for adversaries and is the surest formula both for protecting the United States and its allies and for ultimately getting adversaries to the negotiating table.—
Eric S. Edelman,
Foreign Affairs,
3 June 2025
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Cournoyer warned that adversaries could respond by escalating their own arsenals, pushing the U.S. and its rivals into a destabilizing arms race.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Antagonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonist. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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