opponents
Those against you
Opponents are people or groups who compete against or oppose someone or something.
In sports, your opponent is whoever you're playing against: We face a tough opponent this weekend.
In debate or politics, opponents hold contrary positions: opponents of the bill.
The word implies active opposition rather than mere difference—opponents engage, they don't just disagree from a distance.
Inescapable, unconquerable opponents
- foesHostile opponents
- adversariesThose who oppose you
- antagonistsOpponents in conflict
- contendersThose seeking to win
competitors · challengers · enemies · counterparts · archrival · sparring partners · duelists · opposite number
Those who evaluate work
- detractorsPeople who criticize
- dissentersOpponents of prevailing views
- objectorsPeople who formally disagree
- challengersThose who compete against
disputants · naysayers · skeptics · counterargument · rebuttal · refutation · dissent · cross-examination
Antagonistic disposition toward others
- enmityBitter, lasting ill will
- animosityActive, bitter hostility
- strifeAngry, prolonged conflict
- discordLack of agreement
friction · antagonism · confrontation · clash · feud · belligerence · struggle · tension
Things that obstruct
- resistersThose who actively oppose
- obstructorsThose who impede progress
- opposersPeople who resist something
- hinderersThose who obstruct
impediments · saboteurs · interference · roadblocks · barriers · stonewalling · filibuster · holdouts
Game participants
- entrantsThose who join in
- contestantsCompetition participants
- participantsThose actively involved
- finalistsLast competitors standing
semifinalists · qualifiers · underdogs · favorites · dark horses · field · bracket · draw
nemeses
Inescapable, unconquerable opponents
- foesHostile opponents
- adversariesThose who oppose you
- antagonistsOpponents in conflict
contenders · competitors · challengers · enemies · counterparts · archrival · sparring partners · duelists · opposite number · matchups
critics
Those who evaluate work
- detractorsPeople who criticize
- dissentersOpponents of prevailing views
- objectorsPeople who formally disagree
challengers · disputants · naysayers · skeptics · counterargument · rebuttal · refutation · dissent · cross-examination · questioning
hostility
Antagonistic disposition toward others
discord · friction · antagonism · confrontation · clash · feud · belligerence · struggle · tension · bad blood
blockers
Things that obstruct
- resistersThose who actively oppose
- obstructorsThose who impede progress
- opposersPeople who resist something
hinderers · impediments · saboteurs · interference · roadblocks · barriers · stonewalling · filibuster · holdouts
players
Game participants
- entrantsThose who join in
- contestantsCompetition participants
- participantsThose actively involved
finalists · semifinalists · qualifiers · underdogs · favorites · dark horses · field · bracket · draw · matchup
- competitorscompetitor, contestant, competitors, rivals, contender
- enemiesenemy, foe, foes, adversary, nemesis
- tournamentstournament, tournaments, bracket, brackets, tournament brackets
- competitioncompete, competitor, contender, winner, sports
- Sports Worldteam, coach, athlete, captain, teammates
- things that clashcolors, patterns, stripes, plaids, prints
opponentsallies
Cooperative partners united together
teammates · partners · supporters · collaborators · colleagues
opponentsallies
Cooperative partners united together
proponents · supporters · advocates · champions · backers
- reading opponentsAnalyzing competitors' likely actions
- debate opponentOne who argues opposite