oppo research

noun

Research into one's opponent's family, friends, and past, which aims to uncover activities or interests which embarrass or discredit them.

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Meanings

nounoppo research (uncountable)
  1. USinformaluncountablegovernmentResearch into one's opponent's family, friends, and past, which aims to uncover activities or interests which embarrass or discredit them.

    And anyway, after all he had discovered, he’d grown deeply concerned by the prospect of a Trump presidency. So he found Democratic donors whose checks would keep his oppo research going strong.

    2017, Howard Blum, “How ex-spy Christopher Steele compiled his explosive Trump-Russia dossier”, in Vanity Fair

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
oppoopposition research

Origin

Clipped compound of opposition research.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

oppo research. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oppo%20research

MLA

“oppo research.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oppo%20research. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “oppo research,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oppo%20research.

Source: oppo research on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.