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

Understanding Raducanu would have a lack of sharpness, Sierra controlled the baseline rallies and cleverly dragged her opponent from side to side before unleashing precise winners.

From BBC • May 24, 2026

Itauma is expected to return on 8 August at London's O2 Arena against a significantly ranked opponent, with Croatia's Filip Hrgovic currently viewed as the leading option.

From BBC • May 24, 2026

Hilton praised “sheriffs like Chad who actually understand what public safety looks like” while Bianco acknowledged that his opponent “should be very proud” to have Trump’s endorsement.

From Los Angeles Times • 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

In 1623, Descartes was twenty-seven, and Blaise Pascal, who would become Descartes’s opponent, was zero years old.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

Related Words

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