# OPS

/ˈɑps/ (US) · /ˈɒps/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ops
Updated: 2026-10-01

## Definition

people who are against you or act like your enemies. It is a short way of saying 'opposition' and is common in music and online talk.

For teachers: a shortened form of 'opposition' referring to rivals, enemies, or competitors. Primarily used in hip-hop culture and digital slang to describe those actively working against one's interests.

## Examples

- He stays quiet so his ops don't know his next move.
- The rapper mentioned his ops in the new song to show he isn't afraid of his rivals.
- Navigating social media fame requires a thick skin, as public figures often find themselves targeted by ops who scrutinize every post for potential controversy.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He has many opps about him" but "He has many ops" — Learners sometimes use 'about' or 'against' unnecessarily; 'ops' functions as a direct noun for the people themselves.

## Usage notes

- Usually pluralized as 'ops'; when singular, it can refer to a specific rival or a single operation.

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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.