opponent

American  

[uh-poh-nuhnt] / əˈpoʊ nənt /

noun

opponents plural

1. a person who is on an opposing side in a game, contest, controversy, or the like; adversary.

   Synonyms:

   antagonist

   Antonyms:

   friend, ally

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adjective

1. being opposite, as in position.

2. opposing; adverse; antagonistic.

3. Anatomy. bringing parts together or into opposition, as a muscle.

opponent British  

/ əˈpəʊnənt /

noun

1. a person who opposes another in a contest, battle, etc

2. anatomy an opponent muscle

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adjective

1. opposite, as in position

2. anatomy (of a muscle) bringing two parts into opposition

3. opposing; contrary

Usage

What does opponent mean? An opponent is someone who is against another person, as in a game, exhibition, or controversy. Opponent can also sometimes be used to describe being in opposition, as in Felix saw no opponent reason to change his vote. Example: Our opponent is strong, so don’t do anything reckless during the game.

Synonym Usage

Opponent, competitor, rival refer to persons engaged in a contest. Opponent is the most impersonal, meaning merely one who opposes; perhaps one who continually blocks and frustrates or one who happens to be on the opposite side in a temporary contest: an opponent in a debate. Competitor emphasizes the action in striving against another, or others, for a definite, common goal: competitors in business. Rival has both personal and emotional connotations; it emphasizes the idea that (usually) two persons are struggling to attain the same object: rivals for an office.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• opponency
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• opponents
  plural

Etymology

Origin of opponent

1580–90; < Latin oppōnent- (stem of oppōnēns, present participle of oppōnere to place over, against, or in front of, make an obstacle), equivalent to op- op- + pōn ( ere ) to place, set, put + -ent- -ent

Explanation

An opponent is your competition, whether it's a rival hockey team, or the other finalist in the chess tournament. Coaches tell you to never underestimate your opponent. Someone who competes or fights against you is your opponent. If you're arguing that chocolate ice cream is better than vanilla, the vanilla ice cream fan is your opponent. An opponent can also be someone who opposes, like an opponent of gun control laws. The Latin word opponent means setting against, and it was first used in English to describe the person who would begin a certain type of philosophical debate.

Example Sentences

The bet from Paraguay—and potentially any other opponent hoping to rattle Les Bleus—was that the French players would lose their heads eventually.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

At 5 feet tall, her challenge is climbing a standardized 15-meter wall course and finishing with the fastest time going against an opponent climbing an identical course.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026

Goldman’s victorious opponent, Lander, made these positions a relentless focus of his campaign.

From Salon • Jul. 8, 2026

Golden would be a formidable opponent to Collins.

From Slate • Jul. 7, 2026

“He’s fond of pushing boundaries, and I offered to help him push them further. Is Mr. Barris my opponent? That would be quite devious of him, building me a carousel to avoid suspicion.”

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Related Words

• adversary
• aspirant
• candidate
• challenger
• competitor
• enemy
• foe
• opposition
• player
• rival