as in hostile
marked by opposition or ill will
there was a long history of adversary dealings between the two nations
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in enemy
one that is hostile toward another
our old cat seemed to consider the new kitten an adversary
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opponent
one that takes a position opposite another in a competition or conflict
our adversaries in tomorrow's meet are from one of the top schools in the league
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of adversary
Dan Morse, Alex Horton, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Sep. 2022
At the same time, Trump's tirades against trade deals with nations like China played into a belief among many people that such pacts had hollowed out the American dream, while building middle classes lives for citizens of adversary nations.
—Stephen Collinson, CNN, 28 Sep. 2017
Dan Ikenson, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Intelligence agencies on Friday condemned Russian interference in the U.S. election, identifying the U.S. adversary as being behind a recent video amplifying false claims of Haitians attempting to vote in Georgia.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for adversary 
Adjective
Such sensitive information, along with financial information and private messages, is helpful for adversary intelligence agencies to use as leverage for blackmail or coercion.
—Dan Morse, Alex Horton, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Sep. 2022
At the same time, Trump's tirades against trade deals with nations like China played into a belief among many people that such pacts had hollowed out the American dream, while building middle classes lives for citizens of adversary nations.
—Stephen Collinson, CNN, 28 Sep. 2017
Noun
That outcome would give America’s adversaries leverage over the U.S. economy and U.S. policy, which would carry adverse national security implications.
—Dan Ikenson, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Intelligence agencies on Friday condemned Russian interference in the U.S. election, identifying the U.S. adversary as being behind a recent video amplifying false claims of Haitians attempting to vote in Georgia.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for adversary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adversary
Adjective
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Oasis endured a hostile split in 2009, after years of headlines related to the Gallagher siblings’ fierce rivalry.Sophie Williams, Billboard, 20 Nov. 2024
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As Assad’s government teetered on the brink of collapse, Hezbollah stepped in decisively to safeguard the regime and prevent the emergence of a new regime in Damascus that would be hostile to the axis.Renad Mansour, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The scarcity of essentials means players have to weigh up the risk and reward of every engagement with an enemy.Issy van der Velde, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
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Those test-driving the plane will be provided with a mixed-reality headset allowing a 360-degree view flying in-formation while trying to defeat an enemy target.Ashley J. DiMella Fox News, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2024
Noun
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New York is second in pass defense, 10th in scoring defense and fourth in opponents’ average yards per play.Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
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District 2 was the only race with multiple candidates and Nielsen has a large lead over his opponents with more than 55% of the vote.Michael Slaten, Orange County Register, 11 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Kimberly Clausing, a former Treasury Department official in the Biden administration and a UCLA professor of tax law, said the GOP will probably overestimate the revenue from tariffs and ignore the negative economic impact of the duties.Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
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Rubber Leaf had a negative working capital of $12,730,616 as of September 30, 2024.Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Created by John Dilworth, the bizarrely endearing Cartoon Network show about an apprehensive pup facing strange foes to protect his beloved owner, Muriel, celebrates its 25th anniversary this month.Carlos Aguilar, IndieWire, 19 Nov. 2024
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But Gulf states have significantly modified their foreign policies since, opting to limit their military interventions and reach out to former foes like Iran, while diversifying alliances in an increasingly multipolar world amid skepticism over the US’ role in the Middle East.Mostafa Salem, Nadeen Ebrahim and Mick Krever, CNN, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The result contrasted unfavorably with longtime retail rival Walmart Inc., which reported a 5.3 percent comp gain for its U.S. discount business in the quarter, excluding fuel.Evan Clark, WWD, 20 Nov. 2024
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Any such actor might also reasonably assume by default that its rival, dogged by the same uncertainties and facing the same stakes, would be pondering a similar move.Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near adversary
Cite this Entry
“Adversary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adversary. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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