# opposition

/ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən/ (US) · /ˌɒpəzˈɪʃən/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. disagreement or resistance

noun · CEFR B2

strong disagreement with a plan, idea, or person.

For teachers: the action of resisting or disagreeing with a proposal, policy, or person. Often used with the preposition 'to'.

- 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.

### 2. political rivals

noun · CEFR B2

the political parties that are not in power and disagree with the government.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. contrast or opposite

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

a state of being completely different or opposite to something else.

For teachers: a state of contrast or antithesis between two things.

- 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.

### 4. astronomical alignment

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

when two planets or stars are on opposite sides of the Earth.

For teachers: 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.

### 5. legal challenge

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a formal process to stop a trademark or patent from being registered.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The new tax plan met with strong opposition from local businesses.
- The leader of the opposition argued that the government's new policy would hurt working families.
- Despite fierce opposition from environmental groups and local residents, the council approved the construction of the new highway through the protected forest.

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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.