1
as in enemy
one that is hostile toward another
please name the novel's hero and his antagonist
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of antagonist
President-elect Donald Trump‘s chief antagonist, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), won the seat in the general election.
—
Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Jan. 2025
However, Foley is already part of the Scream universe having portrayed antagonist Roman Bridger, the film director and half-brother of Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) who was revealed to be the Ghostface Killer of Scream 3.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2025
Our hero’s arc is almost completely usurped by the antagonist’s journey.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 29 Jan. 2025
During Trump’s first term, Lammy—along with his friend Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London—became one of Britain’s most prominent, and quotable, antagonists of the President.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for antagonist 
Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Jan. 2025
However, Foley is already part of the Scream universe having portrayed antagonist Roman Bridger, the film director and half-brother of Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) who was revealed to be the Ghostface Killer of Scream 3.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2025
Our hero’s arc is almost completely usurped by the antagonist’s journey.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 29 Jan. 2025
During Trump’s first term, Lammy—along with his friend Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London—became one of Britain’s most prominent, and quotable, antagonists of the President.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for antagonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antagonist
Noun
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This go round, audiences saw them being buried alive, interrogated by the enemy for hours, running mercilessly, and jumping off a bridge.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
6 Feb. 2025
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The Trump administration’s version of justice rewards his friends and excludes his enemies.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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His opponent, former all-star baseball player Steve Garvey, raised $20.36 million and spent $19.77 million.—
David Lightman,
Sacramento Bee,
3 Feb. 2025
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The Cyclones, 2-8 under first-year coach Matt Campbell, toyed with their opponent, rolling up nine touchdowns and 608 total yards.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Thus the ending of the old monarch was properly marked by friends and foes alike.—
Contributed Content,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
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The senior battled in the post, fronting and denying his much taller foe both good position and the ball in the fourth quarter of a pivotal Oakland Athletic League game.—
Christian Babcock,
The Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Their most recent appearance was at the 2023 Super Bowl against tonight's rival, the Kansas City Chiefs.—
Lucia Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2025
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Her 20 goals last season single-handedly accounted for nearly six percent of the league’s total offense — nine more than her closest rivals, her teammate Nurse and rookie of the year Grace Zumwinkle of the Frost.—
Carol Schram,
Forbes,
8 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The China tariffs imposed in 2018 applied to about $350 billion worth of imports from a country the government views as an adversary.—
The Editors,
National Review,
2 Feb. 2025
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Rhetoric framing China as an economic adversary and a threat to American prosperity has contributed to a toxic environment that has disproportionately affected Asian-Americans.—
John Wang,
New York Daily News,
2 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near antagonist
Cite this Entry
“Antagonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antagonist. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
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