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
Beta blockers, or beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists, are a class of drugs that lower blood pressure and heart rate.
—
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 21 Jan. 2026
The character of Heimdall first appears in the second God of War game, God of War Ragnarök, as an antagonist.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 21 Jan. 2026
Nonetheless, Liuzzo’s death—and, specifically, the fact that the movement’s antagonists were willing to kill a white woman—pointed to a broader conclusion.
—Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
With Cami firing Tommy, and then Tommy proceeding to take all of her advisors along with him, Thornton thinks Cami will be a major antagonist — or, at the very least, a fierce competitor — in the next season.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 21 Jan. 2026
The character of Heimdall first appears in the second God of War game, God of War Ragnarök, as an antagonist.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 21 Jan. 2026
Nonetheless, Liuzzo’s death—and, specifically, the fact that the movement’s antagonists were willing to kill a white woman—pointed to a broader conclusion.
—Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
With Cami firing Tommy, and then Tommy proceeding to take all of her advisors along with him, Thornton thinks Cami will be a major antagonist — or, at the very least, a fierce competitor — in the next season.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonist
Noun
-
Michael Malone, during his Nuggets days, was a genius at creating enemies, of underlining slights that may or may not have ever been real.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Hurt by Israel’s large-scale infiltration and strikes last year, Iran’s regime moved swiftly to brand those demanding change as enemies of the state.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Emmer has been a staunch opponent of Walz for some time, whose antagonism for the governor heightened once Walz became the vice presidential running mate to former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Garrett faced multiple opponents on 90 percent of his pass rushing snaps prior to Week 18, per PFF.—
Jacob Robinson,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Trump believes exacting tariffs can be a useful tool in prodding friends and foes on the global stage to bend to his will.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Infiniti plays Willa in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, a girl whose revolutionary parents (DiCaprio and Teyana Taylor) face off against military foes.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Leo's primary rival is SpaceX's Starlink, which has more than 9,000 satellites in orbit and roughly 9 million customers.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Bombardier and Gulfstream are head-to-head rivals, with the Global series battling for market share against Gulfstream’s latest models.—
Michelle L. Price,
Fortune,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The president directed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to determine whether any foreign adversaries directly or indirectly sell goods or oil to Cuba.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In short, the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine war are a weird laboratory for modern warfare, which, against all odds, has given Ukraine a considerable tactical edge over its much larger adversary.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Antagonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonist. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
