Opposition — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˌä-pə-ˈzi-shən/ op·po·si·tion

Meaning & Definition of Opposition

Opposition (noun)

  1. an act of setting opposite or over against, the condition of being so set
  2. hostile or contrary action or condition
  3. something that opposes; specifically, a body of persons opposing something

Opposition (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the inclination to resist

    "most of the opposition to the proposed smoking ban is coming from bar owners worried about its impact on their businesses"

    similar: defiance, resistance
    related: demur, objection, protest, remonstrance, compunction, misgiving, reservation, disobedience, noncompliance, recalcitrance
    opposite: acquiescence
    near: compliance, obedience, acceptance, approval

  2. the quality or state of being as different as possible

    "her actions stand in direct opposition to her words"

    similar: contrariety, contrariness, oppositeness, polarity
    related: contradictoriness, antipode, antithesis, disparateness, disparity, dissimilarity, divergence, unlikeness, inequality, conflict, disagreement, discrepancy, variance, incompatibility, incongruence, incongruity, incongruousness
    opposite: identicalness, sameness
    near: agreement, alikeness, conformity, congruity, correspondence, likeness, parallelism, resemblance, similarity, similitude, analogousness, correlation, relationship

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Opposition

The most common words with a similar meaning to Opposition:

defiance, resistance, contrariety, contrariness, oppositeness, polarity

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Opposition

Words with the opposite meaning of Opposition:

acquiescence, identicalness, sameness

Related Words for Opposition

demur, objection, protest, remonstrance, compunction, misgiving, reservation, disobedience, noncompliance, recalcitrance, contradictoriness, antipode, antithesis, disparateness, disparity, dissimilarity, divergence, unlikeness, inequality, conflict, disagreement, discrepancy, variance, incompatibility, incongruence, incongruity, incongruousness

Near Antonyms of Opposition

compliance, obedience, acceptance, approval, agreement, alikeness, conformity, congruity, correspondence, likeness, parallelism, resemblance, similarity, similitude, analogousness, correlation, relationship

Word Forms of Opposition

Derived words: oppositional (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Opposition

Middle English opposicioun "location opposite something, contrary opinion, opposition of celestial bodies," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French oposicion (Anglo-French opposicion "objection, questioning"), borrowed from Medieval Latin oppositiōn-, oppositiō, going back to Late Latin, "contradiction, antithesis" (loan translation of Greek antíthesis), from Latin opposi-, variant stem of oppōnere "to place (over or against), place as an obstacle, set in opposition to, argue in reply" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action oppose

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Opposition

Words & Phrases Containing Opposition

leader of the opposition, square of opposition, in opposition to, the opposition

Frequently Asked Questions about Opposition

What does "Opposition" mean?

"Opposition" means an act of setting opposite or over against, the condition of being so set. As a noun, it is defined as: an act of setting opposite or over against, the condition of being so set. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Opposition"?

Other words for "Opposition" include defiance, resistance, contrariety, contrariness, oppositeness and polarity. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Opposition" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Opposition"?

There are 33 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Opposition". Common alternatives include defiance, resistance, contrariety, contrariness, oppositeness and polarity.

What is the opposite of "Opposition"?

Antonyms of "Opposition" include acquiescence, identicalness and sameness. Near antonyms include compliance, obedience, acceptance and approval.

How do you use "Opposition" in a sentence?

Examples of "Opposition" in a sentence: "most of the opposition to the proposed smoking ban is coming from bar owners worried about its impact on their businesses"; "her actions stand in direct opposition to her words".

Is "Opposition" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Opposition" is a noun.

Is "Opposition" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Opposition" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Opposition"?

"Opposition" is pronounced /ˌä-pə-ˈzi-shən/ and divided into syllables as op·po·si·tion.