oppose

op·pose

Use oppose in a sentence

verb

To oppose is to disapprove of or be against something.

An example of oppose is when you do not want a new bill to pass.

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"oppose." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 June 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Oppose>.

APA Style

oppose. (n.d.). Retrieved June 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Oppose

oppose

transitive verb

-·posed′, -·pos′ing

to set against; place opposite, in balance or contrast
to contend with in speech or action; resist; withstand

Origin of oppose

Middle English opposen from Old French opposer, altered (infl. by poser: see pose) from Classical Latin opponere: see opponent

to act in opposition

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MLA Style

"oppose." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 June 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Oppose>.

APA Style

oppose. (n.d.). Retrieved June 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Oppose

oppose

verb

op·posed, op·pos·ing, op·pos·es

verb

transitive

To be or act in contention or conflict with: opposed their crosstown rivals in the season finale.
To be hostile or resistant to; try to prevent: opposes the building of a new police station.
a. To set as an opposite in position: opposed the painting with a mirror across the room.
b. To present in counterbalance or contrast: ideas that were opposed to each other in her first book.

verb

intransitive

To be or act in opposition.

Origin of oppose

Middle English opposen to question, interrogate from Old French opposer alteration ( influenced by poser to place ) of Latin oppōnere to oppose ( ob- against ; see ob- . ) ( pōnere to put ; see apo- in Indo-European roots.)

Related Forms:

op·pos′er
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"oppose." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 June 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Oppose>.

APA Style

oppose. (n.d.). Retrieved June 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Oppose

oppose

oppose fight combat resist withstand contest

These verbs mean to set someone or something in opposition to another: Oppose has the widest application: opposed the building of a nuclear power plant. “The idea is inconsistent with our constitutional theory and has been stubbornly opposed … since the early days of the Republic” (E.B. White). Fight and combat suggest vigor and aggressiveness: “All my life I have fought against prejudice and intolerance” (Harry S. Truman). “We are not afraid … to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it” (Thomas Jefferson). To resist is to strive to fend off or offset the actions, effects, or force of: “Pardon was freely extended to all who had resisted the invasion” (John R. Green). Withstand often implies successful resistance: “Neither the southern provinces, nor Sicily, could have withstood his power” (Henry Hallam). To contest is to call something into question and take an active stand against it: contested her neighbor's claims to her property in court.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"oppose." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 June 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Oppose>.

APA Style

oppose. (n.d.). Retrieved June 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Oppose

Verb

(third-person singular simple present opposes, present participle opposing, simple past and past participle opposed)

To attempt to stop the progression of; to resist or antagonize by physical means, or by arguments, etc.; to contend against; to confront; to resist; to withstand.
to oppose the king in battle; to oppose a bill in Congress
There is still time to oppose this plan.
To object to.
Many religious leaders oppose cloning humans.
To present or set up in opposition; to pose.
They are opposed to any form of hierarchy.
To place in front of, or over against; to set opposite; to exhibit.
To compete with; to strive against.
to oppose a rival for a prize

Antonyms

support

Origin

From Middle English opposen, from Old French opposer, from Latin ob (“before, against") + Medieval Latin pausare (“to put"), taking the place of Latin opponere (“to oppose").

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.