# opposite

/ˈɑpəzət/ (US) · /ˈɒpəsˌɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/opposite
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. facing or across from

adjective · CEFR A1

being on the other side of a space, like a street or a room.

For teachers: located directly across from something else or from each other in space.

- They live in the house on the opposite side of the street.
- The two shops are situated on opposite corners of the intersection, making them easy to compare for passing shoppers.

### 2. completely different

adjective · CEFR B1

completely different from something else.

For teachers: of a nature or character that is as different as possible from something else.

- The two brothers have opposite personalities; one is shy and the other is loud.
- The candidates hold opposite views on economic policy, leading to a heated debate during the televised forum.

### 3. across from

preposition · CEFR A2

facing someone or something.

For teachers: positioned in a location facing or across from a specified person or object.

- I sat opposite him during the long dinner and we talked for hours.
- The new gallery is located directly opposite the museum entrance, benefiting from the high volume of foot traffic in the area.

### 4. the reverse thing

noun · CEFR B1

a person or thing that is the total reverse of another.

For teachers: a person or thing that is totally different from or the reverse of someone or something else.

- Hot is the opposite of cold.
- In many ways, the sequel was the exact opposite of the original film, trading quiet suspense for loud action sequences.

### 5. in a facing position

adverb · CEFR B2

in a position that faces something else.

For teachers: in a position across from or facing another specified point.

- He sat down and his sister sat opposite.
- The two buildings were designed to mirror each other, with identical windows placed exactly opposite.

### 6. botany

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

leaves or flowers that grow in pairs on both sides of a stem.

For teachers: describing leaves or flowers that are positioned in pairs directly across from each other on a stem.

- You can identify this plant by its opposite leaves that grow in pairs.
- The species is characterised by its opposite leaf arrangement, which distinguishes it from similar-looking shrubs in the same region.

### 7. mathematics

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a number that, when added to another number, results in zero.

For teachers: the additive inverse of a number; the value that yields zero when added to the original number.

- The opposite of five is negative five.
- Students must understand that adding a number to its opposite will always result in a sum of zero.

## Examples

- Hot is the opposite of cold.
- The two brothers have very different personalities; one is shy while the other is the complete opposite.
- In many classic narratives, the protagonist and the antagonist are presented as opposites to highlight the moral conflict at the heart of the story.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.