opposed

American  

[uh-pohzd] / əˈpoʊzd /

adjective

1. hostile or resistant (usually followed byto ).

   At a town hall meeting about the proposed desalination plant, most speakers were opposed, citing high costs and the effect on marine life.

   Some educators are opposed to bringing new media tools into classes, viewing them as a potential distraction for students.

2. having contrary effects; operating at cross-purposes.

   How do we interpret these seemingly opposed trends—away from organized religion and toward the formation of strong spiritual beliefs?

3. set against or contrasted with something else or with each other; viewed as contrary or competing.

   The opposed images on the book’s title page represent the two very different understandings of “home” featured in the narrative.

4. situated, existing, or growing in opposite directions.

   There are two diametrically opposed arrows on the signpost, and we have no idea which one to follow.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of oppose.

idioms

1. as opposed to, in contrast to; rather than.

   The new boss is intuitive as opposed to analytical, and conflict-shy as opposed to aggressive.

Other Word Forms

• preopposed adjective
• quasi-opposed adjective
• unopposed adjective

Etymology

Origin of opposed

First recorded in 1450–1500; oppose ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

A worker at a nongovernmental organization in Yekaterinburg said a debate among residents of her apartment block about migrating their chat group to Max grew heated when a majority opposed it for data-privacy reasons.

From The Wall Street Journal

Martha Lincoln, a medical anthropology associate professor at San Francisco State, is among those who are opposed to AI.

From Los Angeles Times

Its client list includes Sempra, the parent company of SoCalGas, which opposed the clean air standards, which would have encouraged the sale of pollution-free heat pumps and threatened the utility’s business.

From Los Angeles Times

Those opposed to the attraction argued that in order to build the platforms needed to access the zipline, the rock on top of Sugarloaf Mountain would have to be excavated.

From BBC

Even among those opposed to the government, there are deep divisions over whether the war will help or hinder attempts to bring about change.

From BBC

Related Words

• anti
• antithetical
• averse
• disputed
• hostile
• inimical
• opposing