oppositional

American  

[op-uh-zish-uh-nl] / ˌɒp əˈzɪʃ ə nl /

Rarely oppositionary

adjective

1. opposing, resisting, or combating; expressing a view or stance against something or someone.

   In experimental film one often finds an oppositional attitude toward mainstream culture, and a desire to forge an alternative.

2. expressing antagonism or hostility.

   Learning effective coping skills can reduce the negative influences of anger, oppositional behavior, and poor impulse control.

3. relating to or being in a contrastive, symmetrical, or complementary two-way relation.

   This remote-controlled wooden floor lamp is a simple, efficient, seemingly oppositional pairing of the natural and technological.

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Other Word Forms

• unoppositional adjective

Etymology

Origin of oppositional

opposition ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

He also presents Christina Crawford as a bitter, oppositional personality from early on, and he quotes other family members who insist they saw none of the abuse alleged in “Mommie Dearest.”

From The Wall Street Journal

This oppositional energy sustains a story you've already seen some version of before – in fact, you probably watched it with enthusiasm when 2023 was new.

From Salon

“It’s usually not public because they don’t want to be seen as criminalizing, or even being oppositional, to unhoused people,” he said.

From Seattle Times

After that and in the run up to the Senedd election, Mr ap Iorwerth said the party would "move to that phase of being absolutely all oppositional, and pointing out why it is that I believe our vision should excite people in Wales more".

From BBC

Once or twice, he gets some oppositional forces going, a line of dancers holding still as another line eats space.

From New York Times