op·po·nent
ə-ˈpō-nənt 
1
: one that takes an opposite position (as in a debate, contest, or conflict)
She is a formidable opponent in the race for senator.
opponents of the war
2
: a muscle that opposes or counteracts and limits the action of another
1
2
: situated in front
Synonyms
Examples of opponent in a Sentence
Noun
She is a formidable opponent in the race for senator.
The team's opponents have not lost a game this season.
He knocked out his opponent in the third round.
Recent Examples on the Web
Brooke Singman, Fox News, 5 Apr. 2024
Japan, Canada and Brazil are all formidable opponents though, with their women’s squads ranked seventh, ninth and tenth in the world, respectively.
—Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2024
One key to winning elections is to pick your opponents very, very carefully.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Apr. 2024
Gonzaga is a terrific program, but it’s tucked away in Spokane and spends most of the season competing against West Coast Conference opponents.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
That's something neither of his likely Democratic opponents, including U.S. Rep. David Trone and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, has done.
—Brian Witte, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2024
Meanwhile, opponents have a .139 batting average through five games.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
One opponent, an evangelical nonprofit called Liberty Counsel, pointed to an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that determined frozen embryos used for in vitro fertilization were people under Alabama’s Constitution.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2024
His next opponent is Chilean Nicolas Jarry who upset Norwegian seventh seed Casper Ruud 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2024
Struggle to defend inside the arc: The Bears struggle to defend 2-point shots, ranking No. 226 in opponent 2-point percentage (51.6%).
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 2 Mar. 2024
Nothing easy inside the arc: OU ranks No. 9 in opponent two-point percentage, limiting teams to just 28.9% shooting inside the arc.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2024
Last season, the Orange’s punt return and opponent kick return units were around 50th in the nation in average yards, while their kickoff return and opponent punt return groups were below 100th in the country.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 5 Jan. 2024
The Hoosiers are 105th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom, barely inside the top 100 in 2-point defense and 261st in opponent 3-point percentage.
—Zach Osterman, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Jan. 2024
Despite that emphasis, Detroit is 26th in points allowed (122.6 per game) and opponent field goal percentage (49.2%) while averaging fewer shots per game than its opponents due to leading the league in turnovers per game (16.4).
—Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press, 5 Jan. 2024
And then there’s the 1951 New York Giants, who used a military field scope to steal a catcher’s signs and a buzzer system to relay opponent pitch calls to the batter.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 20 Oct. 2023
Trump’s former running mate and now opponent, Mike Pence, defended the song while speaking to reporters in New Hampshire.
—Emma Barnett, NBC News, 21 July 2023
Noun
Trump, since he was indicted in this case, has blasted it as election interference and a political witch hunt against him run by his political opponents.
—Brooke Singman, Fox News, 5 Apr. 2024
Japan, Canada and Brazil are all formidable opponents though, with their women’s squads ranked seventh, ninth and tenth in the world, respectively.
—Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2024
One key to winning elections is to pick your opponents very, very carefully.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Apr. 2024
Gonzaga is a terrific program, but it’s tucked away in Spokane and spends most of the season competing against West Coast Conference opponents.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
That's something neither of his likely Democratic opponents, including U.S. Rep. David Trone and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, has done.
—Brian Witte, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2024
Meanwhile, opponents have a .139 batting average through five games.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
One opponent, an evangelical nonprofit called Liberty Counsel, pointed to an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that determined frozen embryos used for in vitro fertilization were people under Alabama’s Constitution.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2024
His next opponent is Chilean Nicolas Jarry who upset Norwegian seventh seed Casper Ruud 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Elite at guarding the long ball: K-State ranks No. 38 in opponent three-point percentage (31.1).
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2024
Struggle to defend inside the arc: The Bears struggle to defend 2-point shots, ranking No. 226 in opponent 2-point percentage (51.6%).
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 2 Mar. 2024
Nothing easy inside the arc: OU ranks No. 9 in opponent two-point percentage, limiting teams to just 28.9% shooting inside the arc.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2024
Last season, the Orange’s punt return and opponent kick return units were around 50th in the nation in average yards, while their kickoff return and opponent punt return groups were below 100th in the country.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 5 Jan. 2024
The Hoosiers are 105th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom, barely inside the top 100 in 2-point defense and 261st in opponent 3-point percentage.
—Zach Osterman, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Jan. 2024
Despite that emphasis, Detroit is 26th in points allowed (122.6 per game) and opponent field goal percentage (49.2%) while averaging fewer shots per game than its opponents due to leading the league in turnovers per game (16.4).
—Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press, 5 Jan. 2024
And then there’s the 1951 New York Giants, who used a military field scope to steal a catcher’s signs and a buzzer system to relay opponent pitch calls to the batter.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 20 Oct. 2023
Trump’s former running mate and now opponent, Mike Pence, defended the song while speaking to reporters in New Hampshire.
—Emma Barnett, NBC News, 21 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'opponent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near opponent
Cite this Entry
“Opponent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opponent. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
opponent
noun
op·po·nent
ə-ˈpō-nənt
: a muscle that opposes or counteracts and limits the action of another
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