1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of opponents
In Monday’s annual Homeowners Association board election, president Karl de Borbon is running for a ninth consecutive term against opponents who accuse him of rigging last year’s election and a June 8 vote for a swimming pool deck refurbishment project and a bylaw amendment.
—
Linda Robertson,
Miami Herald,
22 June 2026
But the move enabled Florida to lock in what will be one of the best top-six forward groups in the league, slotting Brady Tkachuck into the left wing spot on the second line alongside center Sam Bennett and right wing Matthew Tkachuk that will cause opponents major headaches.
—
Eduardo A. Encina,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 June 2026
Former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun received a 30-year term for his central role in mobilizing the military to enforce martial law and seeking the arrests of Yoon’s political opponents, as well as a separate 30-year sentence for planning drone flights over Pyongyang.
—
ABC News,
22 June 2026
Carmakers had many challenges Britain’s carmakers were early and outspoken opponents of Brexit, arguing that increased red tape surrounding shipments of parts and finished vehicles would damage an industry built on a network of interlinked factories in multiple European countries.
—
Danica Kirka,
Fortune,
22 June 2026
In recent years, opponents have felt comfortable defending their 12-personnel sets with both heavy and light personnel.
—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Overall, the Knicks went 16-3 in the 2026 playoffs and did so in dramatic fashion, outscoring their opponents by 283 points in those 19 games — by far the biggest single-postseason point differential in NBA history.
—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2026
However, for all the antitrust threats opponents to the merger have floated, the mainly unspoken but real battle in this year of midterm elections seems to be about old-fashioned politics and firing up the base.
—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
15 June 2026
Championship matches, which rarely last longer than 30 minutes and sometimes much less, are inevitably preceded by hours of participants making all manner of florid claims and trash-talking their opponents.
—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Linda Robertson,
Miami Herald,
22 June 2026
But the move enabled Florida to lock in what will be one of the best top-six forward groups in the league, slotting Brady Tkachuck into the left wing spot on the second line alongside center Sam Bennett and right wing Matthew Tkachuk that will cause opponents major headaches.
—
Eduardo A. Encina,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 June 2026
Former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun received a 30-year term for his central role in mobilizing the military to enforce martial law and seeking the arrests of Yoon’s political opponents, as well as a separate 30-year sentence for planning drone flights over Pyongyang.
—
ABC News,
22 June 2026
Carmakers had many challenges Britain’s carmakers were early and outspoken opponents of Brexit, arguing that increased red tape surrounding shipments of parts and finished vehicles would damage an industry built on a network of interlinked factories in multiple European countries.
—
Danica Kirka,
Fortune,
22 June 2026
In recent years, opponents have felt comfortable defending their 12-personnel sets with both heavy and light personnel.
—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Overall, the Knicks went 16-3 in the 2026 playoffs and did so in dramatic fashion, outscoring their opponents by 283 points in those 19 games — by far the biggest single-postseason point differential in NBA history.
—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2026
However, for all the antitrust threats opponents to the merger have floated, the mainly unspoken but real battle in this year of midterm elections seems to be about old-fashioned politics and firing up the base.
—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
15 June 2026
Championship matches, which rarely last longer than 30 minutes and sometimes much less, are inevitably preceded by hours of participants making all manner of florid claims and trash-talking their opponents.
—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opponents
Noun
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The Atlas Lions also frustrated their Scottish foes with their physicality, taking down Christie, McTominay and others with a series of hard challenges that did not draw whistles.
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Sure, Carpenter’s cut-the-ruggers are pizzazzing with their flips and cartwheels, but the Grande gang make formidable dance foes in the Sharks and Jets sense of the word.
Noun
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Your book deals with a piece of legislation called the Rumford Act that would tear down the city’s racist racial housing covenants in 1963, but the act in ’62 had enemies in high places, namely Mayor Sam Yorty and his power base.
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But even as the years-long war between the two countries drags on, the bitter enemies engaged in a prisoner swap, according to the AP, which reported that officials said 160 individuals from each side were going home on Friday.
Noun
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The club is one year into PSG Labs, 15 years into the broader brand project, and still operating in a country where broadcast television revenue—the financial backbone of English and Spanish football—is dramatically lower than its rivals.
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Targeting political rivals The Justice Department’s role in the IRS lawsuit is one example of how Trump has decreed that executive branch employees should act as agents of his will.
Noun
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Seoul — North Korea on Tuesday commissioned its largest-ever warship, a 5,000-ton destroyer that military analysts say could give Pyongyang’s adversaries something more to think about in a time of crisis.
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Instead of demanding personal fealty or humiliating them to assert personal dominance, Lincoln absorbed their egos and occasional slights, elevating their talents and turning his fiercest political adversaries into his most devoted champions.
Noun
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With ruthless competitors who will stop at nothing to dethrone and destroy them, the Whitlocks are a blue-collar dynasty at the edge of extinction – and the old king is fighting to hold onto the crown.
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Amazon is currently leading the market in consumer trust, with 30 percent of shoppers favoring its AI shopping assistants over competitors such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Walmart.
Cite this Entry
“Opponents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opponents. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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