opponents

noun

plural of opponent
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

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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

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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 Berman, a nurse, defeated two other Democratic opponents to win his primary Tuesday. — Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 Oklahoma, where Daniels played last season, shared several common opponents with LSU, where Perkins spent his four-year college career. — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Darline Graham, who’s serving out her brother’s current term, is running for a full term with the president’s endorsement and nine Republican opponents — a few of whom actually have the resources and name recognition to compete with her. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Teams play more opponents from the other conference because there is less of a chance of meeting those teams in the regular season. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, Luxon’s political opponents lambasted him and his party. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 But some observers believe there’s nothing Paramount could agree to that would satisfy the state AGs or other opponents of the deal. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026 His main opponents are Lisa Demuth, the speaker of the Minnesota House, and Kendall Qualls, a businessman and veteran who has been endorsed by the Republican Party of Minnesota. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026 The Bills couldn’t last year, ranking 30th in opponents’ yards per carry. — Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opponents
  1. foes
  2. enemies
  3. rivals
  4. adversaries
  5. competitors
Noun
  • The Tigers and Hornets were district foes in three cycles since 2001, most recently with four 5A games in a three-year span (2017-19).
    — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, friends and foes alike were reminded that allies of the United States cannot be certain that their interests will be protected during a war or that Washington will even consult with them before deciding to use force.
    — KORI SCHAKE, Foreign Affairs, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of foes
Noun
  • All of those artifacts give the characters superpowers on the battlefield, like Cai’s burst of flame that can hit multiple enemies at a distance.
    — Jay Peters, The Verge, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Russia accused of trying to undermine Ukraine's allies Russia has long been accused of targeting its enemies abroad, including by using rare poisons.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of enemies
Noun
  • Not that Tottenham Hotspur appear willing to consider an approach from their neighbours and bitter rivals for their captain, let alone sanction a sale.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The race for the Democratic nomination is fast becoming crowded with a pack of possible rivals for the former Chicago mayor that are polling far higher than him, including Govs.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of rivals
Noun
  • The Russia and Ukraine conflict grinds into a fifth year; a new Fed chair settles in while tariff policy whipsaws through the courts; tensions with allies and adversaries alike continue to flare.
    — Nigel Morris, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The executive leveraged that rare access to convey messages back and forth between the two former adversaries, and helped free US hostages held in Venezuela in 2025.
    — Patricia Garip, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of adversaries
Noun
  • Mahnken said that Disney has one advantage over its competitors, even in an uncertain economy.
    — Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Klobuchar handily won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor primary Tuesday with no major competitors.
    — Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of competitors

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opponent
opponents
opportune
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Cite this Entry

“Opponents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opponents. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on opponents

Nglish: Translation of opponents for Spanish Speakers

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