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
And both deploy deep rotations, using as many as 11 men to wear down opponents and keep their own players fresh.
—
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 2 June 2025
Right as the sparring gets good, with Drew accusing her opponent of deflecting because of a toxic divorce, Porsha walks away from yet another conversation.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 2 June 2025
Vancouver’s loss was very nearly the worst ever suffered by an MLS club against a Liga MX opponent in continental competition, within a goal of the Philadelphia Union’s 6-0 defeat at the hands of Pachuca in the 2024 quarterfinals.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 1 June 2025
The three firms that won in court all have ties to people who are political opponents of Trump or who are otherwise seen by the president as enemies.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for opponent
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 2 June 2025
Right as the sparring gets good, with Drew accusing her opponent of deflecting because of a toxic divorce, Porsha walks away from yet another conversation.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 2 June 2025
Vancouver’s loss was very nearly the worst ever suffered by an MLS club against a Liga MX opponent in continental competition, within a goal of the Philadelphia Union’s 6-0 defeat at the hands of Pachuca in the 2024 quarterfinals.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 1 June 2025
The three firms that won in court all have ties to people who are political opponents of Trump or who are otherwise seen by the president as enemies.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for opponent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opponent
Noun
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Marvel films are littered with figures we’re supposed to identify with who triumph over their foes by showily revealing their true selves.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
24 May 2025
-
The Twins beat the Royals 5-4 on Saturday afternoon at Target Field, using a Lee single to capture their second win in as many days over their division foes.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
24 May 2025
Noun
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Watch Prey on Hulu Predator The original Predator movie is set in the present day (which would be 1987) and follows a paramilitary rescue team who quickly discovers that rebel forces in the South American jungle aren’t their most dangerous enemy.—
Keith Langston,
People.com,
6 June 2025
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As the resupply convoys approach the forward locations, they are frequently targeted and destroyed by enemy drones.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, Alex closed the season by proposing a merger between her struggling network, UBA, and its rival, NBN, after discovering that tech powerhouse and potential UBA buyer Paul was spying on her co-workers.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
28 May 2025
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The Braves will play Trinity League rival Santa Margarita in Friday’s 7 p.m. Division 1 championship game at Cal State Fullerton.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
Noun
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History clearly shows that building strategic nuclear forces creates painful defense dilemmas for adversaries and is the surest formula both for protecting the United States and its allies and for ultimately getting adversaries to the negotiating table.—
Eric S. Edelman,
Foreign Affairs,
3 June 2025
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Cournoyer warned that adversaries could respond by escalating their own arsenals, pushing the U.S. and its rivals into a destabilizing arms race.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Opponent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opponent. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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