1
as in enemies
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 opponents
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
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Recent Examples of antagonists
To honor Orion, the Scorpion was placed opposite him in the sky, so that these celestial antagonists will never meet again.
—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
26 June 2026
Since 2004, Far Cry has more than 100 million unique players and is one of Ubisoft’s most popular franchises, known for the exhilaration of the first-person shootouts, organic open world playgrounds, unique stories and memorable antagonists.
—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
25 June 2026
Reporting points to a cinematic story trailer rather than a gameplay deep-dive, fleshing out Lucia and Jason's relationship, the antagonists, and more of Leonida's tone.
—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Beyond harsher criticism, sports media frames Black athletes differently — often naming them as villains, failures, antagonists or questioning their leadership when necessary.
—
Brielle Miller,
Baltimore Sun,
16 June 2026
In any year, in any culture, there are no antagonists (save for Nazis) better suited as action cinema heavies; rooting against child trafficking lowlifes is moral, easy, and best of all, a completely guiltless pleasure.
—
Andy Crump,
IndieWire,
15 June 2026
Leto has a long history of portraying antagonists.
—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
6 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
Much of these first two episodes is devoted to setting up the Jacksons as the show’s antagonists — sometimes unexpectedly.
—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
26 June 2026
Since 2004, Far Cry has more than 100 million unique players and is one of Ubisoft’s most popular franchises, known for the exhilaration of the first-person shootouts, organic open world playgrounds, unique stories and memorable antagonists.
—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
25 June 2026
Reporting points to a cinematic story trailer rather than a gameplay deep-dive, fleshing out Lucia and Jason's relationship, the antagonists, and more of Leonida's tone.
—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Beyond harsher criticism, sports media frames Black athletes differently — often naming them as villains, failures, antagonists or questioning their leadership when necessary.
—
Brielle Miller,
Baltimore Sun,
16 June 2026
In any year, in any culture, there are no antagonists (save for Nazis) better suited as action cinema heavies; rooting against child trafficking lowlifes is moral, easy, and best of all, a completely guiltless pleasure.
—
Andy Crump,
IndieWire,
15 June 2026
Leto has a long history of portraying antagonists.
—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
6 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
Much of these first two episodes is devoted to setting up the Jacksons as the show’s antagonists — sometimes unexpectedly.
—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonists
Noun
-
Later in the Hebrew Bible Lot is mentioned primarily in reference to his descendants, the Moabites and Ammonites, who are described as periodic enemies of the Israelites.
-
So why is cryptocurrency now getting a pass to work with American enemies?
Noun
-
Other players have covered their mouths while speaking to opponents during the World Cup, but a red card is only issued if the conversation occurs during a confrontation or heated exchange.
-
The side of the bracket where France sits includes some tough potential opponents.
Noun
-
The Atlas Lions also frustrated their Scottish foes with their physicality, taking down Christie, McTominay and others with a series of hard challenges that did not draw whistles.
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Sure, Carpenter’s cut-the-ruggers are pizzazzing with their flips and cartwheels, but the Grande gang make formidable dance foes in the Sharks and Jets sense of the word.
Noun
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The club is one year into PSG Labs, 15 years into the broader brand project, and still operating in a country where broadcast television revenue—the financial backbone of English and Spanish football—is dramatically lower than its rivals.
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Targeting political rivals The Justice Department’s role in the IRS lawsuit is one example of how Trump has decreed that executive branch employees should act as agents of his will.
Noun
-
There are also fears that AI bug hunting tools can be used by adversaries to find ways to exploit vulnerabilities, making patching more important than ever.
-
Could be adversaries politically; don’t have to like everybody.
Cite this Entry
“Antagonists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonists. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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