1
as in foe
one that takes a position opposite another in a competition or conflict
in martial arts, before the match begins, always bow to your opponent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enemy
one that is hostile toward another
the senator has many political opponents who would love to ruin his career
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of opponent
The result is that most contests for judicial seats are pretty sleepy, with candidates limiting themselves to speeches and mailers listing their qualifications rather than attacking their opponents.
—
Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 14 June 2026
The two have had a personal scuffle online, after Gaethje made comments about his opponent's ex-wife.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 14 June 2026
My opponents have reversed course.
—Julie Won, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026
Zac Anderson Knock out your opponent and shake the president's hand.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for opponent
Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 14 June 2026
The two have had a personal scuffle online, after Gaethje made comments about his opponent's ex-wife.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 14 June 2026
My opponents have reversed course.
—Julie Won, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026
Zac Anderson Knock out your opponent and shake the president's hand.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for opponent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opponent
Noun
-
The demonstration, which had been previously organized by a hodgepodge of activist groups after weeks of negotiations with local authorities, was otherwise peaceful — with environmentalists, women’s rights advocates, supporters of Palestinians and foes of imperialism, fascism and capitalism.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
-
But in the meantime, the team has gotten an update on a familiar face courtesy of their long-time regional foe.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
However, this distinction did more than pit pious Americans against an atheist enemy.—
David Williamson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
-
Dassault’s Mirage fighter – and more recently the Rafale – can creep into enemy airspace, dogfight, drop bombs and launch cruise missiles.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
The comments section is filled with college football fans from all over the country calling the university's athletic department a bunch of clowns and hypocrites, but one Big 12 rival, the TCU Horned Frogs, put out a statement of their own in response to Tech's video.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
-
Once celebrated as a breakthrough for Chinese AI startups taking on American rivals, Manus has become a cautionary tale for entrepreneurs looking to shed their Chinese image by relocating to countries such as Singapore.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Charter adversaries note that mega-donors helped launch charters, which are mostly non-union, in part, to weaken the influence of unions and redirect public education dollars.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
The move suggests a broader shift in Tehran, where a new generation of leaders is increasingly abandoning the cautious, reactive approach that long defined the Islamic Republic’s strategy towards its adversaries.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Opponent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opponent. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
