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Synonyms

opposite number

American  

noun

  1. counterpart; equivalent.

    New members with an interest in folk art will find their opposite numbers in the association's directory.


opposite number British  

noun

  1. a person holding an equivalent and corresponding position on another side or situation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of opposite number

First recorded in 1905–10

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.

George Robertson was his opposite number for Labour.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

Shortly after half-time, Moody was caught heavy and high as opposite number Nili Latu jumped into a tackle.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

He holed out off the left-arm spin of his opposite number Mitchell Santner.

From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026

He holed out off the left-arm spin of his opposite number Mitchell Santner.

From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026

He wondered who his opposite number was, the colonel on the far right, the last man on the right of the Union line.

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara

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