opponent

1 of 2

noun

op·​po·​nent ə-ˈpō-nənt 

1

: one that takes an opposite position (as in a debate, contest, or conflict)

She is a formidable opponent in the race for senator.

opponents of the war

2

: a muscle that opposes or counteracts and limits the action of another

opponent

2 of 2

adjective

1

: antagonistic, opposing

2

: situated in front

Synonyms

Noun

• adversary
• antagonist
• foe
• rival

Examples of opponent in a Sentence

Noun

She is a formidable opponent in the race for senator.

The team's opponents have not lost a game this season.

He knocked out his opponent in the third round.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

New York is second in pass defense, 10th in scoring defense and fourth in opponents’ average yards per play. —Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024

District 2 was the only race with multiple candidates and Nielsen has a large lead over his opponents with more than 55% of the vote. —Michael Slaten, Orange County Register, 11 Nov. 2024

Adjective

The Cowboys were fifth in opponent yards per game last season and have fallen to 24th this season. —Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 27 Oct. 2024

For Washington State, the increase in opponent quality is less pronounced, shifting from an average ranking of 71.75 without Oregon State to 70.8 when including them. —Giovanni Malloy, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Medieval Latin oppōnent-, oppōnens "one who proposes something for discussion," from present participle of Latin oppōnere "to place as an obstacle, set in opposition to, argue in reply" — more at oppose

Adjective

borrowed from Latin oppōnent-, oppōnens, present participle of oppōnere "to place as an obstacle, set in opposition to, argue in reply" — more at oppose

First Known Use

Noun

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

opponent

noun

op·​po·​nent

ə-ˈpō-nənt

: a person or thing that opposes another

Medical Definition

opponent

noun

op·​po·​nent ə-ˈpō-nənt 

: a muscle that opposes or counteracts and limits the action of another