opponent
Americannoun
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opponents
plural
adjective
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being opposite, as in position.
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opposing; adverse; antagonistic.
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Anatomy. bringing parts together or into opposition, as a muscle.
noun
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a person who opposes another in a contest, battle, etc
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anatomy an opponent muscle
adjective
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opposite, as in position
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anatomy (of a muscle) bringing two parts into opposition
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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
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing opponent
Vocabulary of the Summer Olympics
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Check It Out, Mate: Chess Vocabulary
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Excerpt from "The Philosophy of Literary Form" by Kenneth Burke
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But even if changes are still pouring in, City’s opponent on Sunday saw plenty of similarities to the exhausting style it faced in the Guardiola era.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Flippo’s main opponent is Teresa Benitez-Thompson, 48, a longtime Reno resident, former member of the state Assembly and a relatively moderate Democrat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
Manchester United entertain another newly promoted opponent, Ipswich, next at Old Trafford on 30 August.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
The winner of the recent Mexico City edition was a fresh-faced Kaled Rosales Salazar, who mimicked lassoing and leading his opponent, Quintana, like a horse, with a giant white sandal as a prop.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
In these cases the first belief has the facts on its side and the second doesn’t; one version of natural philosophy established itself over its opponent through the superiority of its grasp over nature.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
The prime minister ’s approach has broad support from the Canadian public and his political opponents, but it isn’t without risks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Merz was able to forge an awkward governing coalition with the center-left Social Democratic Party, the CDU’s longtime ideological opponents.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
It is a testament to Cyborg's character that - despite all the challenges and opponents she has overcome - her proudest moment is the fight she won against the glass ceiling.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
In casual terms, Hale pulled off an Odell Beckham Jr.-style catch while Mossing his opponents.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Sohrab and I watched for a minute as Ali-Reza bowled over one of his opponents and scored a goal.
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
