Synonyms of antagonists

antagonists

noun

plural of antagonist

1

as in enemies

one that is hostile toward another

please name the novel's hero and his antagonist

Synonyms & Similar Words

• enemies
• opponents
• foes
• adversaries
• hostiles
• attackers
• rivals
• archenemies
• competitors
• combatants
• invaders
• assailants
• nemeses
• archfoes
• ill-wishers
• banes
• bêtes noires
• emulators

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• friends
• allies
• partners
• buddies
• pals
• amigos
• colleagues
• musketeers
• cronies
• chums
• fellows
• collaborators
• compadres
• comrades
• accomplices
• mates
• confederates
• abettors
• adherents
• followers
• disciples
• supporters
• sympathizers
• benefactors
• hearties
• hail-fellows
• hobnobbers
• friendlies
• backers
• exponents
• hail-fellows-well-met
• well-wishers

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

• opponents
• rivals
• foes
• adversaries
• competitors
• enemies
• contestants
• equals
• matches
• combatants
• nemeses
• archenemies
• attackers
• invaders
• assailants
• curses
• banes
• bêtes noires

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• allies
• partners
• supporters
• accomplices
• proponents
• advocates
• champions
• confederates
• sympathizers
• exponents

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of antagonists

Species once seen primarily as competitors or antagonists have turned out to be mutualists, with both parties benefiting. — Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Orexin antagonists were developed as a treatment for insomnia, differing from conventional sleeping pills that induce sedation. — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 20 Aug. 2026

GnRH antagonists block hormones in the pituitary gland to prevent the patient from ovulating early. — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026

The movie features his ninja clan creation The Hand as one of Spidey’s antagonists. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026

This does not sound like power-mad self-aggrandizement, whatever Fauci’s Senate antagonists might say. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2026

With fan favorites like Roman Reigns and even former heel Solo Sikoa now cheered, the company struggles to establish credible antagonists, despite the high quality of recent matches. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Broadly speaking, these kinds of stories — powered by a stop-them-before-they-kill-again clock, making their antagonists out to be finicky geniuses or horror movie monsters instead of opportunistic mediocrities — strike me as a low form of fiction. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2026

What to read next And this is where relativity becomes one of the harshest antagonists in movie history. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 19 July 2026