Word
opposition
Phoneticsop·po·si·tion, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən/
UK/ˌɒpəzˈɪʃən/
Definitions
01disagreement or resistance
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. strong disagreement with a plan, idea, or person.
n. the action of resisting or disagreeing with a proposal, policy, or person. Often used with the preposition 'to'.
日本語:反対※
“The new tax met with strong opposition from local business owners.”
“The proposed development faced fierce opposition from environmental groups, who argued that the construction would destroy a vital local ecosystem.”
Synonyms
02political rivals
B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun Politics
n. the political parties that are not in power and disagree with the government.
n. the main political party or group of parties that is not in government and opposes its policies.
“The leader of the opposition criticized the prime minister's new health policy.”
“After the election, the former ruling party found itself in opposition, struggling to maintain a unified voice against the new administration's reforms.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03contrast or opposite
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Academic
n. a state of being completely different or opposite to something else.
n. a state of contrast or antithesis between two things.
日本語:対立※
“There is a clear opposition between his words and his actions.”
“The author explores the binary opposition between urban decay and rural innocence throughout the first half of the novel.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04astronomical alignment
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Science Technical
n. when two planets or stars are on opposite sides of the Earth.
n. the position of two celestial bodies when they are 180 degrees apart as viewed from Earth.
“Mars is in opposition this month, making it look very bright in the night sky.”
“During opposition, a planet is at its closest point to Earth, providing astronomers with an ideal window for high-resolution observation.”
Antonyms
05legal challenge
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Technical
n. a formal process to stop a trademark or patent from being registered.
n. a formal proceeding in intellectual property law where a party seeks to prevent the registration of a trademark or patent.
“The company filed an opposition to prevent their rival from using a similar logo.”
“The legal team prepared a formal notice of opposition, citing several prior registrations that would likely cause consumer confusion.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “opposition” in context.
Verb
01. encounter fierce opposition
“The plan to build a new highway encountered fierce opposition from local residents.”
verb + adj + noun
02. face stiff opposition
“The government's new tax proposal is likely to face stiff opposition from small business owners.”
verb + adj + noun
03. voice opposition to the plan
“Several council members voiced opposition to the plan during the public hearing.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adjective
04. vocal opposition
“The vocal opposition from the students forced the university to reconsider the tuition hike.”
adj + noun
05. widespread opposition
“There is widespread opposition to the new law across the entire country.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. opposition party
“The main opposition party has promised to lower taxes if they win the next election.”
noun + noun
07. leader of the opposition
“The leader of the opposition criticized the Prime Minister's handling of the economy.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
08. in opposition to the policy
“She spoke passionately in opposition to the policy during the debate.”
prep + noun + prep + noun
09. opposition leader
10. opposition parties
11. opposition figures
Real-World Examples
“And as a deterrent to goalkeepers who take a long time over goal-kicks towards the end of games, he can now give the opposition a corner instead if the keeper takes too long.” “The government is expected to land a deal with the opposition early next week in order to pass the bill in the Senate.” “An opposition victory would allow its rivals to argue that Tinubu can be challenged even in the southwest.” Etymology
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 (“I set against”). Equivalent to oppose + -ition.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/opposition
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0