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
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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
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Recent Examples of opponent
The strategy involved putting Blue Owl’s patch on the opponents of top-seeded players, who are likely to get the most viewership – at a lower price point than a traditional TV ad.
—
Leslie Picker, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
The Rangers’ wins have come in series against the Cleveland Guardians, Los Angeles Angels, Athletics and Arizona Diamondbacks, only losing once in 10 games against the four opponents.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2025
The athlete, who battled addiction to painkillers, earned the titular nickname due to his ability to quickly and easily dispense with his opponents.
—Eric Andersson, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The parliament is sometimes ensnarled in legislative deadlock, and political candidates sling mud at their opponents during campaigns.
—Tenzin Dorjee, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opponent
Leslie Picker, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
The Rangers’ wins have come in series against the Cleveland Guardians, Los Angeles Angels, Athletics and Arizona Diamondbacks, only losing once in 10 games against the four opponents.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2025
The athlete, who battled addiction to painkillers, earned the titular nickname due to his ability to quickly and easily dispense with his opponents.
—Eric Andersson, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The parliament is sometimes ensnarled in legislative deadlock, and political candidates sling mud at their opponents during campaigns.
—Tenzin Dorjee, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opponent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opponent
Noun
-
Green Bay went 1-5 against divisional foes in 2005, though, and Sherman was fired one day after the season ended.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
All four of its losses came to Detroit and the Rams, a pair of excellent foes.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Under orders from General Erinmore (Colin Firth), the pair must traverse enemy lines to deliver a life-or-death message to Colonel Mackenzie (Benedict Cumberbatch), halting an attack that would endanger more than 1,000 men.—
Emy LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The enemy terrorizes and kills our people across the country every day.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But the Packers dominated a team that’s become one of their biggest rivals in recent years.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Sinner and Alcaraz’s nominally closest rival is Djokovic, who reached the semifinals of all four majors this year, and did at least post that one victory against Alcaraz.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Our adversaries will fill the void.—
Kristen Edgreen Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Set largely inside the White House, the film imagines the terrifying scenario of an imminent nuclear missile strike on the United States by an unknown adversary, forcing military and civilian leaders to make impossible decisions under crushing time pressure.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Opponent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opponent. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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