opposition

O1P3P3O1S1I1T1I1O1N1
UK/ˌɒp.əˈzɪʃ.ən/US/ˌɑ.pəˈzɪʃ.ən/

noun

The action of opposing or of being in conflict.

“leader of the opposition”

Opposite

Meanings

nounopposition (plural oppositions)

plural oppositions

  1. The action of opposing or of being in conflict.

    The two politicians are in opposition to the bill.

    3 more examples

    The proposal met with strong opposition from local residents.

    Terra Firma is an Alliance political party formed after the First Contact War. Its policy agenda is based on the principle that Earth must 'stand firm' against alien influences. This covers a variety of legislation. Recent activities by Terra Firma include opposition to a law requiring high school alien language study, a proposal to increase tariffs on alien imports, and leading a popular movement to mark the First Contact War with a public holiday.

    2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Terra Firma Party Codex entry

    That worries the government, which fears that environmental activism could become the foundation for more general political opposition.

    2013 August 10, “Can China clean up fast enough?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848
  2. An opposite or contrasting position.

    Near-synonym: oppositeness

    1 more example

    These ideas are in opposition to each other.

    Synonyms: oppositeness

  3. astronomyThe apparent relative position of two celestial bodies when one is at an angle of 180 degrees from the other as seen from the Earth.
  4. governmentA political party or movement opposed to the party or government in power.

    leader of the opposition

  5. lawIn United States intellectual property law, a proceeding in which an interested party seeks to prevent the registration of a trademark or patent.
  6. board gamesA position in which the player on the move must yield with his king allowing his opponent to advance with his own king.
  7. human sciencesThe difference of quantity or quality between two propositions having the same subject and predicate.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAn opposite or contrasting position.

Opposite

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe action of opposing something that you disapprove or disagree with

Similar
Broader

nounthe relation between opposed entities

Broader

nounthe act of hostile groups opposing each other

Broader

nouna contestant that you are matched against

Broader

nounan armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)

Similar

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinoppōnō“to set against”
  2. Late Latinoppositiō
  3. Old Frenchoposicion
  4. Middle Englishopposicioun
  5. Englishopposition

From Middle English opposicioun, from Old French oposicion (whence French opposition), from Late Latin oppositiō, translating Ancient Greek ἀντίθεσις (antíthesis), from the past participle stem of classical Latin oppōnō (“to set against”). Equivalent to oppose + -ition.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἀντίθεσις
  • ἀντίθεσις (antíthesis)action of opposing; being in conflict
Arabic مقابلة, مُعَارَضَة
  • مقابلة (muqābila)astronomy
  • مُعَارَضَة (muʕāraḍa)politics: party or movement opposed to government
  • مُقَاوَمَة (muqāwama)politics: party or movement opposed to government
  • تَنَاقُضْ (tanāquḍ)logic
Bengali বিরোধিতা, বিপরীত
  • বিরোধিতা (birōdhita)action of opposing; being in conflict
  • বিপরীত (biporit)opposite or contrasting position
  • প্রতিপক্ষ (protipokkho)politics: party or movement opposed to government
  • বিপক্ষ (bipokkho)politics: party or movement opposed to government
  • প্রতিবন্ধকতা (protibondhokta)legal: proceeding to prevent registration of a trademark or patent
  • বৈপরীত্য (bōiporitto)logic
Bulgarian противопоста́вяне, противополо́жност
  • противопоста́вяне (protivopostávjane)action of opposing; being in conflict
  • противополо́жност (protivopolóžnost)opposite or contrasting position
  • противостоя́ние (protivostojánie)astronomy
  • опози́ция (opozícija)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Catalan oposició, oposició
  • oposicióaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • oposiciópolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Chinese Mandarin 對立 /对立, 反對 /反对
  • 對立 /对立 (duìlì)action of opposing; being in conflict
  • 反對 /反对 (fǎnduì)politics: party or movement opposed to government
  • 在野黨 /在野党 (zàiyědǎng)politics: party or movement opposed to government
  • 反對派 /反对派 (fǎnduìpài)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Czech opozice
  • opozicepolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Danish opposition
  • oppositionpolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Dutch oppositie, oppositie
  • oppositieopposite or contrasting position
  • oppositiepolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Estonian opositsioon
  • opositsioonpolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Finnish vastustus, vastarinta
  • vastustusaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • vastarintaaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • oppositioasemaaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • vastaisuusaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • vastapuoliopposite or contrasting position
  • vastakkainen mielipideopposite or contrasting position
  • oppositioastronomy
  • oppositiopolitics: party or movement opposed to government
  • kiistäminenlegal: proceeding to prevent registration of a trademark or patent
  • oppositiochess
  • vastakohtaisuuslogic
French opposition, opposition
  • oppositionastronomy
  • oppositionpolitics: party or movement opposed to government
German Opposition, Opposition
  • Oppositionastronomy
  • Oppositionpolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Greek εναντίωση, αντίθεση
  • εναντίωση (enantíosi)action of opposing; being in conflict
  • αντίθεση (antíthesi)opposite or contrasting position
  • αντίθεση (antíthesi)astronomy
  • αντιπολίτευση (antipolítefsi)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Hebrew הִתְנַגְּדוּת, אוֹפּוֹזִיצְיָה
  • הִתְנַגְּדוּת (hitnag'dút)action of opposing; being in conflict
  • אוֹפּוֹזִיצְיָה (opozítsya)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Hindi विरोध, विमुखता
  • विरोध (virodh)action of opposing; being in conflict
  • विमुखता (vimukhtā)astronomy
  • प्रातिपक्ष (prātipakṣ)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Hungarian ellenkezés, ellenszegülés
  • ellenkezésaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • ellenszegülésaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • ellenzésaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • szembenállásastronomy
  • ellenzékpolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Indonesian oposisi
  • oposisipolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Irish urchomhaireacht
  • urchomhaireachtastronomy
Italian opposizione, opposizione
  • opposizioneaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • opposizioneastronomy
  • opposizionepolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Japanese 対抗, 衝
  • 対抗 (taikō)action of opposing; being in conflict
  • 衝 (shō)astronomy
  • 反対 (hantai)politics: party or movement opposed to government
  • 野党 (yatō)politics: party or movement opposed to government
  • 在野党 (zaiyatō)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Korean 반대, 야당
  • 반대 (bandae)politics: party or movement opposed to government
  • 야당 (yadang)politics: party or movement opposed to government
  • 재야당 (jaeyadang)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Latin oppositiō
  • oppositiōaction of opposing; being in conflict
Latvian opozīcija
  • opozīcijapolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Lithuanian opozicija
  • opozicijapolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Malay pembangkang
  • pembangkangpolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Māori mautohetanga, ātetenga
  • mautohetangaaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • ātetengaaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • āpitihanapolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Norwegian Bokmål opposisjon, opposisjon
  • opposisjonaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • opposisjonpolitics: party or movement opposed to government
  • opposisjonspartipolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Persian مقابله, اُپوزیسْیون
  • مقابله (moqâbele)astronomy
  • اُپوزیسْیون (opozisyon)politics: party or movement opposed to government
  • مُخالِفَت (moxâlefat)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Polish opozycja, opozycja
  • opozycjaaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • opozycjaastronomy
  • opozycjapolitics: party or movement opposed to government
  • opozycjachess
  • opozycjalogic
Portuguese oposição, oposição
  • oposiçãoaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • oposiçãopolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Punjabi ਵਿਪੱਖ
  • ਵਿਪੱਖ (vipakkha)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Romanian opoziție, împotrivire
  • opozițieaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • împotrivireaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • opunereaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • opozițieastronomy
  • opozițiepolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Russian противоде́йствие, противостоя́ние
  • противоде́йствие (protivodéjstvije)action of opposing; being in conflict
  • противостоя́ние (protivostojánije)action of opposing; being in conflict
  • противополо́жность (protivopolóžnostʹ)opposite or contrasting position
  • противостоя́ние (protivostojánije)astronomy
  • оппози́ция (oppozícija)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Slovak opozícia
  • opozíciapolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Spanish oposición
  • oposiciónpolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Swedish motstånd, opposition
  • motståndaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • oppositionaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • oppositionopposite or contrasting position
  • oppositionastronomy
  • oppositionpolitics: party or movement opposed to government
  • oppositionchess
Tagalog oposisyon, oposisyon
  • oposisyonaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • oposisyonpolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Tamil எதிர்ப்பு, எதிர்
  • எதிர்ப்பு (etirppu)action of opposing; being in conflict
  • எதிர் (etir)opposite or contrasting position
  • எதிர்க்கட்சி (etirkkaṭci)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Thai ฝ่ายค้าน, พรรคฝ่ายค้าน
  • ฝ่ายค้าน (fàai-káan)politics: party or movement opposed to government
  • พรรคฝ่ายค้าน (pák-fàai-káan)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Turkish muhalefet, karşıtlık
  • muhalefetaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • karşıtlıkaction of opposing; being in conflict
  • karşıtopposite or contrasting position
  • muhalefetpolitics: party or movement opposed to government
  • karşıtlıkpolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Ukrainian протиді́я, протистоя́ння
  • протиді́я (protydíja)action of opposing; being in conflict
  • протистоя́ння (protystojánnja)action of opposing; being in conflict
  • протиле́жність (protyléžnistʹ)opposite or contrasting position
  • протистоя́ння (protystojánnja)astronomy
  • опози́ція (opozýcija)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Urdu مُقابلہ, حِزْبِ اِخْتِلاف
  • مُقابلہ (muqābla)astronomy
  • حِزْبِ اِخْتِلاف (hizb-i ixtilāf)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Vietnamese đối lập, đảng đối lập
  • đối lậppolitics: party or movement opposed to government
  • đảng đối lậppolitics: party or movement opposed to government
Yiddish קאַפּויערקייט, אָפּאָזיציע
  • קאַפּויערקייט (kapoyerkeyt)opposite or contrasting position
  • אָפּאָזיציע (opozitsye)politics: party or movement opposed to government
Cite this entry
APA

opposition. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/opposition

MLA

“opposition.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/opposition. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “opposition,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/opposition.

Source: opposition on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.