Opposition is a noun that can mean resistanceefforts to oppose or refuse control, pressure, or change, conflict, an adversarya person or group that is against someone else, or a political group against the government in power. The right synonyma word with a similar meaning to another word depends on which sense is intended.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən/
Easy pronunciation: op-uh-ZISH-ən (approximate spelling).
Stress: Primary stress on the third syllable, with secondary stress at the beginning.
Use this noun sense for resistance to something you disapprove of.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Opposition Meaning
resistance to something or someone
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the action of opposing something that you disapprove or disagree with
Example: The plan met strong opposition from local residents.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- resistance — A strong match when opposition means disagreement or refusal to support something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Opposition
Meaning 2
open conflict between hostile groups
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the act of hostile groups opposing each other
Example: The army met fierce opposition at the border.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- confrontation — Works when opposition means a direct hostile clash.
Meaning 3
an enemy fighter or force
Part of speech: noun
Definition: an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)
Example: The soldiers advanced toward the opposition.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- enemy — A direct substitute in military or hostile contexts.
- foe — Suitable in literary or formal usage.
- foeman — Old-fashioned or literary term for an enemy.
Meaning 4
the person or team you compete against
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a contestant that you are matched against
Example: Our opposition played very well in the second half.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- opponent — The standard everyday synonym in games, sports, and debates.
- opposite — Can fit in some competitive or paired-match contexts, but is less direct and less common.
Meaning 5
the state of being opposite to something
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the relation between opposed entities
Example: There is a clear opposition between the two views.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- oppositeness — A close match for the abstract relation of being opposite.
Meaning 6
a group that stands against something
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a body of people united in opposing something
Example: The opposition criticized the new policy.
Meaning 7
the opposite direction
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a direction opposite to another
Example: She walked in the opposite direction.
Meaning 8
the political party or parties not in power
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the major political party opposed to the party in office and prepared to replace it if elected
Example: The opposition demanded an early election.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Opposition Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- resistance
hostile conflict or clash
- confrontation
an enemy or armed adversary
- enemy
- foe
- foeman
a competitor or person you are matched against
- opponent
- opposite
the abstract relation of being opposite
- oppositeness
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using opposition to mean only the political party in power; it usually means the party against the government.
- Using opposite as a general synonym for opposition; the words overlap only in limited contexts.
- Mixing up opposition meaning resistance with opposition meaning enemy or opponent.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main meaning of opposition?
The most common everyday meaning is resistance to something you disagree with or do not support.
What are the best synonyms for opposition?
For the main sense, resistance is the closest synonym. Other senses may use words like opponent, enemy, or confrontation.
Is opposition always political?
No. It can also mean resistance, conflict, an enemy force, or the person or team you compete against.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-24. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.