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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of opponents
Yet, while that may remain a rarity, this ostensibly unstoppable winning train has finally hit a few bumps, dropping points against seemingly inferior opponents.
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Henry Flynn, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Likely Black voters opposed the ballot measure, which opponents say will unfairly target people of color, while majorities of white, Latino and Asian American/Pacific Islander voters supported it, the poll found.
—Anabel Sosa, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
This particular issue troubles opponents of the ballot question.
—Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
There should be more opportunities to get that pass rush going against the Gophers, who throw a bit more than USC’s previous two Big Ten opponents.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
No opponents submitted arguments.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
His cadence was known for drawing opponents offsides during his long run with the Packers, but his current group of protectors appear rather jumpy.
—Steve Silverman, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
The lack of pressure on the ball created an overflow of drives to the rim for opponents that overwhelmed their typically trusty, defensive center.
—Esfandiar Baraheni, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
The schedule in the second and third parts of the season may not have as many elite opponents, but the intensity will pick up and the Vikings season will come into much clearer focus.
—Steve Silverman, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
Henry Flynn, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Likely Black voters opposed the ballot measure, which opponents say will unfairly target people of color, while majorities of white, Latino and Asian American/Pacific Islander voters supported it, the poll found.
—Anabel Sosa, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
This particular issue troubles opponents of the ballot question.
—Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
There should be more opportunities to get that pass rush going against the Gophers, who throw a bit more than USC’s previous two Big Ten opponents.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
No opponents submitted arguments.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
His cadence was known for drawing opponents offsides during his long run with the Packers, but his current group of protectors appear rather jumpy.
—Steve Silverman, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
The lack of pressure on the ball created an overflow of drives to the rim for opponents that overwhelmed their typically trusty, defensive center.
—Esfandiar Baraheni, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
The schedule in the second and third parts of the season may not have as many elite opponents, but the intensity will pick up and the Vikings season will come into much clearer focus.
—Steve Silverman, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opponents
Noun
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The Padres will be familiar postseason foes.Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
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An all-out war between arch-foes Israel and Iran has been threatened for decades.Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
Noun
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While many were quick to gloat that Grewal was defeated by enemies lobbying against him, turnover is common in the high-pressure role.BYAndrew Nusca, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2024
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Running into undiscovered rooms sometimes provided a sense of reprieve and escape from enemies, but there’s always a chance that it could be locked, or there’s another monster right inside.George Yang, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2024
Noun
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And, just as significantly, this argument de-emphasizes the possibility of collaborating with adversaries on limiting military AI systems, favoring arms race over arms control.Nir Eisikovits, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
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While the first episode begins with Poppa mocking Ivy’s podcasting background and the next two episodes half-heartedly introduce various radio station adversaries/co-workers, by the fourth episode Poppa and Ivy have transitioned to just doing a podcast.Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Oct. 2024
Noun
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And while Salesforce has made the biggest and most vocal announcements so far, its competitors are also doing work in this arena.Jason Andersen, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
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Despite the challenges, Tesla’s investment in vertical integration and cutting-edge battery technology may be its best bet to fend off competitors.Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near opponents
Cite this Entry
“Opponents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opponents. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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