opposition

opposition — noun

1. strong action or feeling against a plan, idea, or group, especially when people

1.名詞C1
釋義

strong action or feeling against a plan, idea, or group, especially when people want to stop it

例句

Parents voiced opposition to the new school bus plan.

opposition to + plan

Strong local opposition delayed the airport road for another year.

同義詞
  • resistance

    often suggests active effort to stop something over time

  • objection

    is narrower and often means one stated reason for disagreeing

  • protest

    is more public and visible, often involving organized action

  • hostility

    is stronger in feeling and can sound more personal

反義詞
  • support

    means active agreement or help

  • approval

    focuses on judging something positively

  • acceptance

    suggests willingness to allow or receive something

文法句型

opposition to something

opposition from someone

face opposition

meet opposition

用法筆記

Usually uncountable. Common after to for the target and from for the people showing resistance. Distinguish from sense 3, which names a political group rather than general resistance.

常見錯誤

❌There was strong opposition against the rule.
✅There was strong opposition to the rule.
💡this noun usually takes 'to'.
❌The opposite to the plan was immediate.
✅Opposition to the plan was immediate.
💡'opposite' is a different word and does not mean resistance here.

2. the person, team, or group you are trying to beat in a game, debate, race, or ot

2.名詞
釋義

the person, team, or group you are trying to beat in a game, debate, race, or other competition

例句

Our opposition scored twice before halftime and changed the match.

the opposition as a team

In the final, Taiwan faced tough opposition from Japan.

sports competition use

同義詞
  • opponent

    is the most direct word for a person or team against you

  • rival

    often suggests a continuing competition over time

  • competitor

    is more neutral and common in business as well as sport

  • challenger

    stresses trying to take a title or position

反義詞
  • teammate

    is someone on your own side

  • ally

    suggests support rather than competition

文法句型

the opposition scored

face the opposition

study the opposition

用法筆記

Often used as a singular noun for the whole rival side. It is especially common in sports and debate contexts. Distinguish from sense 1, which is about resistance to an idea or plan.

常見錯誤

❌Our opposition were the rain and wind.
✅Our opposition was the team from Osaka.
💡this sense is for people or teams you compete against.
❌The opposition to our plan won the match.
✅The opposition won the match.
💡in games, the word itself already means the other side.

3. the main party or parties in parliament that are not in power and aim to replace

3.名詞
釋義

the main party or parties in parliament that are not in power and aim to replace the government

例句

The Opposition demanded answers after the train accident.

capitalized political use

A senior Opposition MP spoke outside Parliament at noon.

Opposition MP

同義詞
  • opposition party

    is more explicit and works when the shorter noun might be unclear

  • minority party

    depends on the political system and numbers, so it is not always exact

  • rival party

    is broader and less tied to formal parliamentary structure

反義詞

文法句型

the Opposition

Leader of the Opposition

Opposition MP

用法筆記

Often capitalized in news about parliamentary systems. It refers to a formal political role, not just any people who disagree, unlike sense 1.

常見錯誤

❌The opposition in my office dislikes the new chairs.
✅Some staff oppose the new chairs.
💡sense 3 is only for formal politics.
❌Her party joined opposition after losing.
✅Her party joined the Opposition after losing.
💡the article and capitalization are normal in this political sense.

4. a relationship in which two things are shown as completely different from each o

4.名詞
釋義

a relationship in which two things are shown as completely different from each other

例句

The film places youth and old age in clear opposition.

in clear opposition

Her quiet voice stood in opposition to the crowd's anger.

stand in opposition to

同義詞
  • contrast

    is broader and much more common in everyday English

  • antithesis

    is more formal and suggests a very strong rhetorical contrast

  • polarity

    is often technical and can suggest two extreme sides

反義詞
  • similarity

    focuses on likeness instead of difference

  • harmony

    suggests fitting together rather than standing apart

文法句型

opposition between A and B

stand in opposition to something

in clear opposition

用法筆記

Formal and common in writing about art, ideas, and theory. Distinguish from sense 1, which is about resisting something, not simply being sharply different from it.

常見錯誤

❌There is opposition between tea and coffee prices.
✅There is a clear contrast between tea and coffee prices.
💡this sense is for a strong conceptual contrast, often in formal writing.
❌The two colors were in opposition, so workers protested.
✅The two colors were in opposition, creating a sharp contrast.
💡this sense is about difference, not public resistance.