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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of antagonist
The Surfer also stars Julian McMahon as The Surfer’s main antagonist, Scally.
—
Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
In Skin Tight, a great barracuda bites off an antagonist’s hand.
—Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
As new antagonists arrive, the stakes and the tension don’t always ratchet accordingly, resulting in the occasional sense of the anti-climactic.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 16 May 2025
But the rich emotional depth of that film is matched in Bring Her Back, a horror movie that delights in gruesome practical effects but also presents a nuanced character study, with little judgement passed on its bereaved antagonist, Laura.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
In Skin Tight, a great barracuda bites off an antagonist’s hand.
—Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
As new antagonists arrive, the stakes and the tension don’t always ratchet accordingly, resulting in the occasional sense of the anti-climactic.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 16 May 2025
But the rich emotional depth of that film is matched in Bring Her Back, a horror movie that delights in gruesome practical effects but also presents a nuanced character study, with little judgement passed on its bereaved antagonist, Laura.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonist
Noun
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The absence of cloud cover that day exposed the Liberators even more to enemy fire.—
Linda Dudik,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 May 2025
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Nearly 700,000 people were executed in Stalin’s 1937-38 Great Terror amid show trials and purges of his real and perceived enemies.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
23 May 2025
Noun
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This creates space for team-mates: opponents are drawn away from Yamal on the left, while Lewandowski is able to work in the little pockets of space that appear around the edge of the penalty box.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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Their opponent will be either Laval or Rochester, who are battling for the Northern Division championship.—
Steve Lyttle,
Charlotte Observer,
22 May 2025
Noun
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The Twins beat the Royals 5-4 on Saturday afternoon at Target Field, using a Lee single to capture their second win in as many days over their division foes.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
24 May 2025
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Marvel films are littered with figures we’re supposed to identify with who triumph over their foes by showily revealing their true selves.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
24 May 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, Alex closed the season by proposing a merger between her struggling network, UBA, and its rival, NBN, after discovering that tech powerhouse and potential UBA buyer Paul was spying on her co-workers.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
28 May 2025
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The Braves will play Trinity League rival Santa Margarita in Friday’s 7 p.m. Division 1 championship game at Cal State Fullerton.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
Noun
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Ruben Amorim trudged slowly onto the pitch, first making his way to his victorious adversary but putting into their embrace a fraction of the enthusiasm that Ange Postecoglou offered.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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This achievement signals to our adversaries and allies alike that the U.S. is prepared to meet the challenges of today's environment from a position of strength and security.—
Isabel van Brugen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Antagonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonist. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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