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
Earlier this season, Chelsea were leaving three attackers out on the halfway line at defensive corners to give them counter-attacking outlets and to force opponents to match them up, helping clear the penalty area of bodies.
—
Graham Scott, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson used his postgame press conference to defend the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, specifically the level of physicality Wembanyama gets from opponents during games.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
The impish half-smile that irritates opponents eventually returns to his face, though.
—Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026
Tusk’s party says Law and Justice used Pegasus to spy illegally on political opponents while in power.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
The trial for the last remaining lawsuit accusing former Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo of using city resources to punish political opponents has been pushed to 2027, drawing out the city’s ongoing legal battle with two Little Havana businessmen for nearly a decade.
—Tess Riski
may 11, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
But tribal opponents disagree that those requirements were met and said drilling projects are often a first step leading to future mines.
—Sarah Raza, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2026
Martin gets some jokes about it, more from older generations than teammates or opponents.
—Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
Each speech in Policy is time-limited; kids speak like gasping auctioneers to cram in arguments their opponents must try to rebut.
—Eli Durst, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Graham Scott, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson used his postgame press conference to defend the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, specifically the level of physicality Wembanyama gets from opponents during games.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
The impish half-smile that irritates opponents eventually returns to his face, though.
—Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026
Tusk’s party says Law and Justice used Pegasus to spy illegally on political opponents while in power.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
The trial for the last remaining lawsuit accusing former Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo of using city resources to punish political opponents has been pushed to 2027, drawing out the city’s ongoing legal battle with two Little Havana businessmen for nearly a decade.
—Tess Riski
may 11, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
But tribal opponents disagree that those requirements were met and said drilling projects are often a first step leading to future mines.
—Sarah Raza, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2026
Martin gets some jokes about it, more from older generations than teammates or opponents.
—Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
Each speech in Policy is time-limited; kids speak like gasping auctioneers to cram in arguments their opponents must try to rebut.
—Eli Durst, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opponents
Noun
-
When a chance encounter with a distraught stranger on a subway goes horribly wrong, Reacher is drawn into a complex and deadly game that pits him against ruthless foes from the highest echelons of power.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
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The 2026 opener will serve as the 13th time the Cowboys have opened the season against the Giants, with Dallas owning an 11-1 record all-time against its divisional foes in season openers.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Vaccines present either defanged pathogens or distinctive fragments of them to specialized immune cells—namely, T cells and antibody-producing B cells—that can then learn to identify those microbial enemies.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
-
His history with China has not been positive — he is embroiled with allies and enemies, and faces an economy that could derail his leadership.—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
White Sox fans got the last laugh on Sunday afternoon as their squad completed a wild, thrilling comeback victory over their crosstown rivals.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
-
Ronda Rousey needed just 17 seconds to defeat Gina Carano via armbar on Saturday night, and her rivals needed about the same amount of time to take to social media to mock the performance.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
The Holy See has historically played a distinctive backchannel role in easing tensions between the two adversaries.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
Google researchers said this is an example of adversaries increasingly leveraging AI to automate vulnerabilities, phishing campaigns, and malware development.—
Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Simon did not cite any competitors, but Aéropostale typically squares off with emerging, teen-centric brands like Edikted, Princess Polly and Urban Outfitters.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
-
Publishing a blog alongside a report titled The Netflix Effect, Co-CEO Sarandos took the fight to his competitors.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Opponents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opponents. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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