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.

See Examples For:

opponents

Teams are always circumspect about doing anything too exotic during the preseason, lest they give regular-season opponents something to study.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

"And for his opponents, it is a further reason to dislike him."

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

If the opponents of the Nodaway County project are successful, the growth of AI and data centers won’t be stopped.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Becerra emerged from the primary ahead of more progressive opponents, including billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer, and quickly earned the backing of their onetime supporters, said IGS Poll Director Mark DiCamillo.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

Adjusting for age, I realize some of our opponents may be elderly, which is both sad and reassuring.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins