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
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Recent Examples of antagonists
The semiquincentennial of our country is the perfect time for liberals to reclaim natural law and not cede it to their antagonists.
—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
2 July 2026
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
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
2 July 2026
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
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.
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The side of the bracket where France sits includes some tough potential opponents.
Noun
-
Unrestricted free agents Marcus Smart, 32, and Luke Kennard, 30, agreed to deals with Western Conference foes.
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The 2018 runners-up and 2022 third-place finishers have three wins and a draw against African World Cup foes since 2014, including their third-place victory over Morocco.
Noun
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After six innings, the crowd of 38,872 watching two historic rivals sat through a 15-minute delay.
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The South American rivals may just end up facing each other in a week.
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 6 Jul. 2026.
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