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
In every version, the antagonist is a now-charming, now-menacing psychopath named Max Cady (Javier Bardem), memorably played by Robert Mitchum in 1962 and Robert De Niro in 1991.
—
Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Andy Garcia’s Gallino heats up one and Cooper’s antagonist Manuel also smokes one.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026
Its ensemble includes a Brazilian-origin sensei, a young Basque-Maghrebi fighter, an African migrant in his sixties, a policewoman and a landlord antagonist.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 1 June 2026
Rather than positioning herself as one of the president’s loudest Democratic antagonists, Whitmer opted to work with the White House on issues affecting Michigan.
—Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Andy Garcia’s Gallino heats up one and Cooper’s antagonist Manuel also smokes one.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026
Its ensemble includes a Brazilian-origin sensei, a young Basque-Maghrebi fighter, an African migrant in his sixties, a policewoman and a landlord antagonist.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 1 June 2026
Rather than positioning herself as one of the president’s loudest Democratic antagonists, Whitmer opted to work with the White House on issues affecting Michigan.
—Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonist
Noun
-
Because the Russian commanders keep attacking anyway, the Ukrainians are killing and wounding thousands of enemy soldiers, perhaps as many as 30,000, every month.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
-
Hunger and disease are always enemies that accompany war and sometimes can claim more lives than the fighting itself.—
William Lambers,
Hartford Courant,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Some opponents attacked his moderate views and his willingness to accept campaign donations from big oil companies like Chevron.—
National Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
-
Sand, who was unopposed on the primary ballot, learned who his opponent would be after Tuesday’s primary settled an unpredictable five-way Republican contest.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
These are mostly just for show and style points though, as Lobo is capable of taking down almost any foe with his bare hands.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
6 June 2026
-
The Noises had to face Shoreline Conference foe Coginchaug, the 21st seed, for the fourth time in a Class S softball quarterfinal game.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
The comments section is filled with college football fans from all over the country calling the university's athletic department a bunch of clowns and hypocrites, but one Big 12 rival, the TCU Horned Frogs, put out a statement of their own in response to Tech's video.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
-
Once celebrated as a breakthrough for Chinese AI startups taking on American rivals, Manus has become a cautionary tale for entrepreneurs looking to shed their Chinese image by relocating to countries such as Singapore.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Charter adversaries note that mega-donors helped launch charters, which are mostly non-union, in part, to weaken the influence of unions and redirect public education dollars.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
The move suggests a broader shift in Tehran, where a new generation of leaders is increasingly abandoning the cautious, reactive approach that long defined the Islamic Republic’s strategy towards its adversaries.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Antagonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonist. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
