1
as in enemy
one that is hostile toward another
please name the novel's hero and his antagonist
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opponent
one that takes a position opposite another in a competition or conflict
his antagonist in the boxing match
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of antagonist
With his role as the antagonist in Creed III and a turn as the supervillain Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe on the horizon, Majors had already nailed down the blockbuster side of his résumé.
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Nate Jones, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2025
Her new allies help hide her and also plan a move against the queen's forces, though the disguised antagonist delivers a poison apple to Snow, putting a wrinkle in her rebellion.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
Marshall Kent becomes the sort of primary antagonist in season two until, of course, this episode.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2025
Most significantly, season 2 will also star Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, a primary antagonist character from the video game.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Nate Jones, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2025
Her new allies help hide her and also plan a move against the queen's forces, though the disguised antagonist delivers a poison apple to Snow, putting a wrinkle in her rebellion.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
Marshall Kent becomes the sort of primary antagonist in season two until, of course, this episode.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2025
Most significantly, season 2 will also star Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, a primary antagonist character from the video game.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for antagonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonist
Noun
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The character went from being Emily’s friend to becoming her enemy as the two wrestled in a love triangle with Gabriel.—
Vivian Kwarm,
New York Daily News,
18 Apr. 2025
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Some were emblazoned with images of Maximilian I of Bavaria and Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III. Further, archaeologists discovered fragments of lead bullets and deposits of metal wheels — which were likely safeguarded to prevent them from falling into enemy hands after the army left camp.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Just because of his style, Muhammad hasn't been much of a finisher to date in his MMA career, but he's got the kind of style that's great for breaking down opponents over time.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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The Luddites weren’t mindless opponents of technology but had a clear logic to their actions—an essentially conservative one.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Give me Tennesee to cover without too much trouble against a UCLA team that dominated its first-round foe, Utah State, but went just 23-10 (13-7 Big Ten) this year.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
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In the comics, Muse uses the blood of his victims to create his art and is a particularly difficult foe for Daredevil because of his powers.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In at least one case, the governor has viewed an open presidential post as an opportunity to move a rival out of Tallahassee.—
Ana Ceballos,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2025
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Meanwhile, the Thunder have thrived against their conference rivals, posting a 36-13 mark.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The United States' closest regional ally, Israel, has historically been highly skeptical of any talks with Iran that could lead to a nuclear deal, partly because Iran has vowed to destroy Israel, its longtime adversary.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
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Bypassing the need to downlink data to ground stations scattered around the world will also mitigate security concerns, such as possible interception of data by adversary actors.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Antagonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonist. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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