opposing

American

[uh-poh-zing] / əˈpoʊ zɪŋ /

adjective

fighting or acting against something or someone.

The Taoist concept of health is harmony between the opposing forces of the natural world—between yin and yang.
Humane treatment of prisoners ensured that many combatants in the opposing army preferred captivity over death in battle.
of or being a player, team, participant, etc., competing against another in a game or contest.

If a game is rained out, reschedule a makeup date with the opposing captain.
The single most important reason citizens voted that year was to ensure that the opposing candidate lost.
being, expressing, or supporting a hostile or conflicting opinion, proposal, etc..

The reporters responsible for those stories failed to balance their coverage with an opposing view.
One faction wants to return us to the 1950s, while the opposing faction wants to adapt to the 21st century.
standing in the way of someone or something; being or providing a hindrance.

Sometimes, despite all opposing circumstances, a painful step or two of progress will be achieved.
facing something else, or moving in the other direction.

We waited as the opposing traffic cleared, and then it was our turn to go.
The rails are to be mounted parallel to one another on opposing walls of the cargo area.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of opposing

First recorded in 1580–90, as a noun; oppos(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

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.

The opposing rulings created a circuit split, making it likelier that the issue will end up at the Supreme Court.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 10, 2026

The touch maps back this up – Haaland having many fewer and more concentrated in the opposing penalty area with Kane involved across the pitch.

From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026

But the victory came with an asterisk: Folarin Balogun, a Brooklyn-born striker who leads the team in goals, got a red card for fouling an opposing player.

From Slate • Jul. 6, 2026

At the same time, buoyant lithosphere to the west generates an opposing force.

From Science Daily • Jun. 28, 2026

Both of them were hardworking leaders—they had proved that within their opposing organizations—and they threw themselves into this task.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023