1
as in enemy
one that is hostile toward another
please name the novel's hero and his antagonist
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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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Recent Examples of antagonist
Audiences will witness the events that fractured the bond between Gojo, often considered the most powerful sorcerer in the series, and Geto, who would later become a formidable antagonist.
—
Jamie Lang, Variety, 10 June 2025
The game will allow up to four players to battle through a fictional version of Shaolin, squaring off against The Deceiver, a menacing antagonist who serves as the game’s final boss.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 June 2025
Sunday plays a siren named Bianca Barclay, one of Nevermore's brightest lights and an early antagonist for Wednesday, though the pair's relationship softened by the end of season 1.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 7 June 2025
Orexin receptor antagonists are also showing promise as novel treatments for depression.
—Bronwyn Thompson, New Atlas, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Jamie Lang, Variety, 10 June 2025
The game will allow up to four players to battle through a fictional version of Shaolin, squaring off against The Deceiver, a menacing antagonist who serves as the game’s final boss.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 June 2025
Sunday plays a siren named Bianca Barclay, one of Nevermore's brightest lights and an early antagonist for Wednesday, though the pair's relationship softened by the end of season 1.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 7 June 2025
Orexin receptor antagonists are also showing promise as novel treatments for depression.
—Bronwyn Thompson, New Atlas, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonist
Noun
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In the American Revolution, soldiers had to face down the East Coast’s uncompromising climate in addition to their enemies.—
Ken Burns,
USA Today,
18 June 2025
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As Gramm and Boudreaux write toward book’s end, poverty in the U.S. is continually being redefined in ways that support their contention that capitalism isn’t the enemy of the poor.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Noun
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The parade stirred up controversy for what opponents view as a politicization of the nation's armed forces and a break from U.S. democratic norms, and sparked an organized No Kings protest movement across the country on Saturday.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
15 June 2025
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McNabb impressively suppressed opponents’ ability to generate shots and scoring chances despite playing difficult matchup minutes, with the Golden Knights surrendering just 1.79 goals against per 60 during his five-on-five shifts.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
15 June 2025
Noun
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The two longtime foes have traded direct strikes against one another since Israel launched a massive series of attacks against Iran last week, alleging that Tehran was secretly moving toward producing a nuclear weapon, a claim denied by Iranian officials.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 June 2025
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The open conflict sparked by Israel’s sudden barrage of attacks against Iran’s nuclear and military structure shows no signs of abating on the seventh day of hostilities between the two longtime foes that threatens to spiral into a wider, more dangerous regional war.—
Elena Becatoros,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2025
Noun
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Success stories are told in the language of domination—of markets, rivals, and time.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
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The company was slow to deliver its Apple Intelligence platform and still lags rivals in key features.—
Sara Braun,
Fortune,
21 June 2025
Noun
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If true, American adversaries could potentially get a tipoff about upcoming military action by monitoring pizza eateries close to the Pentagon.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 June 2025
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Beyond the Middle East, these developments are a clear and present warning to U.S. adversaries, chiefly Russia and China.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Antagonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonist. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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