opponents

NOUN

person with whom one competes

Synonyms

STRONGEST

adversary aspirant candidate challenger competitor enemy foe opposition player rival

STRONG

antagonist anti assailant bandit bidder con contestant disputant entrant litigant match opposer

WEAK

counteragent dark horse dissentient oppugnant

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ally assistant friend helper

WEAK

associate colleague

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Housing opponents were able to delay building projects by filing a host of environmental lawsuits, including frivolous ones.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 17, 2026

Say what you will about UFC fighters, but at least the weight class means they’re required to take on opponents who can fight back.

From Salon • Jun. 17, 2026

"In a very patriarchal society, to have a woman sitting at the helm was a major no-no," she told the court, suggesting this had made her a target for unnamed male opponents.

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026

Asia's representatives remain unbeaten and African nations have taken points from several higher-ranked opponents, underlining how difficult this World Cup has become for the traditional powers.

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026

She'd kept the majority of her opponents cowering behind their barricades until the last few minutes of the event, when a young man in a floppy hat decided to make a run for it.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris