Library / English Dictionary

OPPOSE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be against; express opposition to

Example:

We oppose the ban on abortion

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "oppose" is one way to...):

argue; contend; debate; fence (have an argument about something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "oppose"):

contend; contest; repugn (to make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot oppose Sue

Derivation:

opponent (someone who offers opposition)

opponent (characterized by active hostility)

opposer (someone who offers opposition)

opposition (the action of opposing something that you disapprove or disagree with)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be resistant to

Example:

The board opposed his motion

Synonyms:

contradict; controvert; oppose

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "oppose" is one way to...):

rebut; refute (overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "oppose"):

blackball; negative; veto (vote against; refuse to endorse; refuse to assent)

dissent; protest; resist (express opposition through action or words)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

opponent (characterized by active hostility)

opposer (someone who offers opposition)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Set into opposition or rivalry

Example:

He plays his two children off against each other

Synonyms:

match; oppose; pit; play off

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "oppose" is one way to...):

confront; face (oppose, as in hostility or a competition)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

opponent (a contestant that you are matched against)

opponent (characterized by active hostility)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Fight against or resist strongly

Example:

Don't fight it!

Synonyms:

defend; fight; fight back; fight down; oppose

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "oppose" is one way to...):

contend; fight; struggle (be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "oppose"):

recalcitrate (show strong objection or repugnance; manifest vigorous opposition or resistance; be obstinately disobedient)

fend; resist; stand (withstand the force of something)

hold out; resist; stand firm; withstand (stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something)

drive back; fight off; rebuff; repel; repulse (force or drive back)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

opponent (characterized by active hostility)

opposer (someone who offers opposition)

opposition (the act of hostile groups opposing each other)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Act against or in opposition to

Example:

She reacts negatively to everything I say

Synonyms:

oppose; react

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "oppose" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "oppose"):

act on; follow up on; pursue (carry further or advance)

buck; go against (resist)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

opponent (characterized by active hostility)

opposer (someone who offers opposition)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Contrast with equal weight or force

Synonyms:

counterbalance; oppose

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "oppose" is one way to...):

contrast; counterpoint (to show differences when compared; be different)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "oppose"):

counterpoise; counterpose; counterweight (constitute a counterweight or counterbalance to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

As I recall our being opposed thus, face to face, I seem again to hear my heart beat fast and high.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Oriental medicine aims to restore the body's balance and harmony between the natural opposing forces of yin and yang, which can block qi and cause disease.

(Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, NCI Dictionary)

This issue is restricted to happening at the location where the device is used as opposed to during manufacturer or shipping.

(Cleaning Disinfecting or Sterilization Problem during Medical Device Use, Food and Drug Administration)

AKT promotes cell survival and opposes apoptosis by a variety of routes.

(AKT Signaling Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

Formation of Bistrand Abasic Site involves the creation of an apurinic or apyrimidinic site on one strand with a loss of the opposing purine or pyrimidine residue on the other DNA strand.

(Formation of Bistrand Abasic Site, NCI Thesaurus)

Activation of Fas-mediated apoptosis is opposed by I-FLICE and FAP.

(Fas Signaling Pathway BioCarta, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

It is for diseases of the peripheral as opposed to the cardiac circulation.

(Peripheral Vascular Disorder, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

However, less than 0.25% of the total inositol-containing lipids are phosphorylated at the 3-position, consistent with the idea that these lipids exert specific regulatory functions inside the cell, as opposed to a structural function.

(Phosphoinositide Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

On THAT head, therefore, it was not for her to oppose her mother's intention of removing into Devonshire.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

It was an encouragement of vice; and had I been the rector of Longbourn, I should very strenuously have opposed it.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)