What does "opposite" mean?
Something opposite or contrary to something else.
Opposite
/ˈɒpəzɪt/ adj, adv, noun, prep
adj, adv, noun, prep ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Something opposite or contrary to something else.
- Grammar: opposite is listed as adj, adv, noun, prep.
- Nearest alternatives: antonym, contrary, inverse, across.
- Useful contrasts: identical, same, alternate.
- Usage evidence: Delight is the opposite of sorrow.
How to use "opposite"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "opposite" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "opposite" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "opposite" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "opposite" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "opposite" is acting as adj, adv, noun, prep in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "antonym" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "opposite", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Something opposite or contrary to something else.
- 2 a word that expresses a meaning opposed to the meaning of another word, in which case the two words are antonyms of each other wordnet
- 3 A person or thing that is entirely different from or the reverse of someone or something else; used to show contrast between two people or two things.
"She is the opposite of her ex-boyfriend who abused her both physically and verbally nearly every day for five years. She now works as an advocate and supportive listener for others who have endured abusive relationships."
- 4 a contestant that you are matched against wordnet
- 5 An opponent.
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a relation of direct opposition wordnet
- 7 An antonym.
""Up" is the opposite of "down"."
- 8 something inverted in sequence or character or effect wordnet
- 9 An additive inverse.
Adjective
- 1 Located directly across from something else, or from each other. not-comparable
"She saw him walking on the opposite side of the road."
- 2 Of leaves and flowers, positioned directly across from each other on a stem. not-comparable
- 3 Facing in the other direction. not-comparable
"They were moving in opposite directions."
- 4 Of either of two complementary or mutually exclusive things. not-comparable
"He is attracted to the opposite sex."
- 5 Extremely different; inconsistent; contrary; repugnant; antagonistic. not-comparable
"Novels, by which the reader is misled into another sort of pieasure opposite to that which is designed in an epick poem."
Adjective
- 1 of leaves etc.; growing in pairs on either side of a stem wordnet
- 2 characterized by opposite extremes; completely opposed wordnet
- 3 altogether different in nature or quality or significance wordnet
- 4 the other one of a complementary pair wordnet
- 5 being directly across from each other; facing wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 moving or facing away from each other wordnet
Adverb
- 1 In an opposite position. not-comparable
"I was on my seat and she stood opposite."
- 2 On another channel at the same time. not-comparable
Adverb
- 1 directly facing each other wordnet
Preposition
- 1 Facing, or across from.
"There’s a bus stop opposite the faculty entrance, right on the other side of the road."
- 2 In a complementary role to.
"He played opposite Marilyn Monroe."
- 3 On another channel at the same time.
"The game show Just Men! aired opposite The Young and the Restless on CBS."
Example
"Delight is the opposite of sorrow."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "opposite"?
Common synonyms include: antonym, contrary, inverse, across, across, adversary.
How do you use "opposite" in a sentence?
Delight is the opposite of sorrow.
How do you pronounce "opposite"?
Pronounced /ˈɒpəzɪt/.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English opposit, borrowed from Old French oposite, from Latin oppositus, perfect passive participle of oppōnō (“to oppose”). Compare oppose.