oppose
B2Neutral to Formal
Definition
Meaning
To actively disagree with or resist something or someone; to set oneself in direct contrast to.
To compete against someone in a contest, election, or debate; to present a counter-argument or alternative proposal.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies active, often public, resistance. Can describe formal political or legal action as well as personal disagreement.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Some minor syntactic preference: 'oppose to + -ing' is slightly more common in BrE (though often considered non-standard by prescriptivists), while AmE strongly favors 'oppose + noun/gerund'.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both corpora.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
oppose + noun (oppose the plan)oppose + -ing form (oppose building the road)be opposed to + noun/-ing (I am opposed to the idea/raising taxes)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “As opposed to... (for contrast)”
- “The opposing side/team”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used regarding mergers, policies, or strategic decisions (e.g., 'The board opposed the takeover bid').
Academic
Used to discuss theoretical positions, research findings, or scholarly arguments (e.g., 'Smith's thesis opposes the prevailing paradigm').
Everyday
Used for personal opinions on issues like local developments, rules, or plans (e.g., 'Many residents oppose the new car park charges').
Technical
In engineering/physics: 'opposing forces'; in law: 'opposing counsel'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The local council will strongly oppose the planning application.
- She opposes changing the school's admission criteria.
American English
- The senator plans to oppose the bill when it comes to a vote.
- Many groups actively oppose raising the federal debt ceiling.
adverb
British English
- (Rarely used. Typically 'oppositely' in very formal contexts, not from 'oppose') The two ideas are directly oppositely aligned.
American English
- (Rarely used. Typically 'oppositely' in very formal contexts, not from 'oppose') The magnets were placed oppositely.
adjective
British English
- The opposing arguments were well-rehearsed.
- He plays for the opposing team next week.
American English
- The opposing counsel filed a motion to dismiss.
- They have opposing views on almost every issue.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I oppose eating too much chocolate.
- My parents oppose my plan to get a tattoo.
- The environmental group opposes the new factory.
- Who will you support? I oppose the other candidate.
- The prime minister is expected to oppose any amendments to the treaty.
- He is fundamentally opposed to the concept of privatised healthcare.
- The philosopher's later work opposes the very foundations of his earlier theories.
- Delegates from developing nations vehemently opposed the watered-down climate resolution.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a pose. To OPPOSE is to take a stance or pose AGAINST something.
Conceptual Metaphor
ARGUMENT IS WAR (oppose an idea), COMPETITION IS A PHYSICAL CONFRONTATION (oppose a team).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating directly from 'противопоставлять' which implies a more active 'to contrast' or 'to set against'. 'Oppose' is primarily about resistance, not comparison.
- Do not confuse with 'предложить' (to propose) – they are opposites in meaning.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'oppose against' (redundant – 'oppose' already contains the 'against' meaning). Correct: 'They oppose the law' NOT 'They oppose against the law.'
- Confusing 'oppose' (verb) with 'opposite' (adjective/noun).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the CORRECT usage?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are largely interchangeable. 'Oppose' is more active and immediate ('I oppose this decision'), while 'be opposed to' often describes a state or principle ('I am opposed to capital punishment').
While sometimes heard, the structure 'oppose to doing something' is generally considered non-standard. Prefer 'oppose doing something' or 'be opposed to doing something'.
It can be both. It is stative when expressing a general position ('I oppose all forms of censorship'). It can be dynamic when describing an active, ongoing effort ('They are opposing the legislation in court').
The main nouns are 'opposition' (the act or state of opposing) and 'opponent' (a person who opposes someone or something).
Collections
Part of a collection
Media and Communication
B1 · 50 words · Language for discussing media and communication.
Debate Vocabulary
B2 · 48 words · Language for constructing arguments and discussions.