oppositional

Rarely op·po·si·tion·ar·y

[op-uh-zish-uh-nl]

adjective

1. opposing, resisting, or combating; expressing a view or stance against something or someone.

   In experimental film one often finds an oppositional attitude toward mainstream culture, and a desire to forge an alternative.

2. expressing antagonism or hostility.

   Learning effective coping skills can reduce the negative influences of anger, oppositional behavior, and poor impulse control.

3. relating to or being in a contrastive, symmetrical, or complementary two-way relation.

   This remote-controlled wooden floor lamp is a simple, efficient, seemingly oppositional pairing of the natural and technological.

Other Word Forms

• unoppositional adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of oppositional¹

opposition ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )