opponent

American  

[uh-poh-nuhnt] / əˈpoʊ nənt /

noun

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.

Related Words

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

• opponency
  noun

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

Verhoeven spat out his gumshield while Usyk immediately protested at the added time his opponent was given to recover.

From BBC • May 23, 2026

Instead, it transforms the dispute into a visual narrative of dominance and disposal, an opponent not debated, but discarded.

From Salon • May 23, 2026

Newsom has been a staunch opponent of big oil companies, but the laws he’s passed have largely stalled.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

Earlier on Tuesday, as Kentucky Republicans were still casting ballots, Trump endorsed his opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in next week's runoff election.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

This was a different kind of opponent, though, and Bobby hadn’t mastered the techniques of dueling with international financial institutions.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

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