OPPONENTS Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

opponents

noun

plural of opponent

as in foes

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

as in enemies

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 opponents This match also summed up Wolves, who somehow both threatened to record the lowest-ever points tally in the Premier League and also battled well against strong opponents. —

Michael Cox, New York Times, 25 May 2026 Thompson and Duren are both total non-spacers on offense, which allows opponents to ignore them out on the perimeter and send extra help at Cunningham. —

Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026 But elite teams, more often than not, find a way to get those snaps to go their way in pivotal situations against top opponents. —

Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 May 2026 Faced with the ticking clock of an imminent Iranian nuclear test, even Trump’s most dedicated opponents at home and abroad would likely have lent their support. —

Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 25 May 2026 His hope was that Mendoza would help the Raiders do the same, figuratively, for their opponents. —

Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026 While Roger Federer is depicted as James Bond, in a tux, elegant and wrinkle-free, Nadal is called Rambo, ripped and relentless, brutalizing the ball and opponents alike. —

Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026 The case has become one of the most emblematic examples cited by rights organizations accusing Venezuela’s security apparatus of using arbitrary detention, incommunicado imprisonment and forced disappearances against dissidents and suspected opponents. —

Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 18 May 2026 Higher seeds that got byes are just 9-7 in the division series under the new format despite having a superior regular season record and home-field advantage over their opponents. —

Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 18 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for opponents

Noun

On Thursday, the tournament celebrated him, bringing out many of the top players and some of his old friends and foes to hit and giggle and say goodbye.

— Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 24 May 2026
Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop roleplaying game where players create fantasy characters and roll dice to determine whether their actions, like a sword attack or a persuasive argument, are successful against their foes.

— Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026