opponent

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opponent

  • /əˈpəʊ.nənt/

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Latin oppōnēns (“opposing”), present active participle of oppōnō (“to oppose”).

noun opponents

  1. One who opposes another; one who works or takes a position against someone or something; one who attempts to stop the progress of someone or something. The person who ran against her in the last election proved to be a formidable opponent.

    Similar: opp

  2. One who opposes another physically (in a fight, sport, game, or competition). 1720, Alexander Pope, The Iliad of Homer, London: Bernard Lintott, Volume 6, “Observations on the Twenty-Third Book,” no. 39, p. 136, In the Chariot-Race Achilles is represented as being able to conquer every Opponent […]

    Similar: opp

  3. One who opposes another in words (in a dispute, argument or controversy). It is easier to confound than to convince an opponent; the former may be effected by a turn that has more happiness than truth in it.

    Similar: opp

  4. One who is opposed or objects (to a policy, course of action or set of ideas). She was a dedicated opponent of the death penalty.

    Similar: opp

  5. historical The participant who opens an academic debate by putting forward objections to a theological or philosophical thesis. We make the argument appere slender, when we receiue it laughyngly, and declare by wordes, euen at the first, that it is nothyng to the purpose, and so abashe the opponent.

    Similar: opp

Similar: adversary, antagonist · Opposite: supporter, proponent, advocate, respondent

adjective more opponent · most opponent

  1. obsolete Opposing; adverse; antagonistic. […] we are to consider enemies as men opponent to peace and justice, and to these they are by warrs to be reduced; And no other ends in the pursuite of enemies by sword and hostile Acts are to be sought for […]
  2. obsolete Situated in front; opposite. Her sympathizing Lover takes his Stand High on th’ opponent Bank […]

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: adversary, antagonist, opposition, foeman, enemy, opposing, hostile, foe, opposite, opposer, objector, opposed, objection, contrary, dissenting, dissident

noun

Similar: adversary, antagonist · Opposite: supporter, proponent, advocate, respondent

Translations

Every language

noun one who opposes another

Españoloponente, antagonista
한국어상대 sangdae
日本語相手 aite
中文對方 /对方 duìfāng
हिन्दीप्रतियोगी pratiyogī, विरोधी virodhī
Françaisopposant
DeutschGegner, Gegnerin
Русскийпроти́вник protívnik, проти́вница protívnica, оппоне́нт opponént, оппоне́нтка opponéntka
العربيةمُنَاوِئ munāwiʔ

noun one who opposes another physically

Españoloponente, contrincante
中文對手 /对手 duìshǒu, 敵手 /敌手 díshǒu
हिन्दीविरोधी virodhī
Françaisadversaire
Italianoavversario
Ελληνικάαντίπαλος antípalos
Русскийпроти́вник protívnik, проти́вница protívnica
العربيةخَصْم ḵaṣm

noun one who opposes another in words

Españoladversario
العربيةخَصْم ḵaṣm

noun one who objects to a policy, etc.

Españolopositor

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Cite this
MLA

"opponent." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/opponent. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

opponent. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/opponent

Chicago

"opponent." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/opponent.

BibTeX
@misc{opponent_2026,
  title = {opponent},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/opponent},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}