opposite
opposite — adjective
- oppositepositive
- more oppositecomparative
- most oppositesuperlative
1. as different from another person, thing, or idea as possible
as different from another person, thing, or idea as possible
Quiet village life felt opposite to Emma's busy years in Seoul.
opposite to + noun phrase
Marcus chose the opposite answer from everyone else in class.
The two brothers have opposite views on where to spend New Year.
opposite + plural noun
The film's hospital ending sends the opposite message from its cheerful trailer.
- opposite view
- opposite effect
- opposite result
- opposite answer
- contrary
more formal and often used for ideas, opinions, or results.
- conflicting
stresses disagreement or clash, especially between plans or views.
- different
weaker and broader; it does not always suggest extreme contrast.
Grammar Patterns
opposite to + noun phrase
Usage Note
Distinguish from simply different: this sense usually suggests the strongest possible contrast, not a small or ordinary difference.
Common Mistakes
2. on the far side of a space and facing the person or thing across it
on the far side of a space and facing the person or thing across it
Our hotel room was opposite the train station in central Kyoto.
be opposite + place
A fruit shop stands opposite the school gate on Park Road.
Grandma sat opposite me during lunch and passed the fish.
sit opposite + person
The red house opposite ours has sunflowers by the front wall.
- opposite the station
- sit opposite me
- house opposite ours
- directly opposite
- across from
a very close everyday equivalent, especially in American English.
- facing
stresses direction and can be used without the idea of a gap.
- beside
places things next to each other rather than across a space.
Grammar Patterns
be opposite + place/person
sit opposite + person
Usage Note
Common for the physical position of people, seats, buildings, or rooms. It often follows linking or position verbs such as be, sit, stand, and live.
Common Mistakes
3. used for the side, page, wall, arm, or end that faces the one already mentioned
used for the side, page, wall, arm, or end that faces the one already mentioned
Write your name on the opposite side of the card.
the opposite side of + noun
The train map is printed on the opposite page of our guidebook.
the opposite page
A clock hung on the opposite wall above the piano.
The nurse pointed to the opposite arm for the next shot.
- opposite side
- opposite page
- opposite wall
- opposite end
- same
used when two things are on one side or identical in position.
Grammar Patterns
the opposite side/page/wall/end
Usage Note
Usually comes before a noun and refers back to something already named. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense commonly appears in set noun phrases like opposite side or opposite page.
4. in baseball, in the area away from the side where a batter usually pulls the bal
in baseball, in the area away from the side where a batter usually pulls the ball
The coach told Ben to hit the opposite field in practice.
hit the opposite field
A right-handed batter sent the ball to the opposite side.
In the ninth inning, Mia hit a single to the opposite field.
to the opposite field
In the seventh inning, Luis split the opposite-field gap for a double.
- opposite field
- opposite-field single
- opposite side
- opposite gap
- opposite-field
a close baseball adjective used especially before nouns like hit or single.
- away-side
a looser sports description, not the standard baseball label.
- pull-side
the side a batter usually hits toward when pulling the ball.
Grammar Patterns
hit to the opposite field
use the opposite side
Usage Note
Only used in baseball. It describes the side a batter hits to when the ball goes away from the side that player usually pulls toward.
your opposite number
idiomA person who has the same job as you but works for a different company or organization.
Sara met her opposite number from the Tokyo office at the conference.
Did Brian discuss the budget with his opposite number in the finance department?
the opposite sex
idiomPeople who are not the same gender as you.
Maya felt nervous when talking to members of the opposite sex.
Diego has many friends of the opposite sex from his dance class.
To have goals or ideas that conflict with each other and cannot be satisfied at the same time.
The marketing and sales teams often pull in opposite directions.
Aiden's desire for adventure and his need for stability pull him in different directions.
opposite — preposition
1. across from someone or something, with a space between
across from someone or something, with a space between
We sat opposite the bakery and watched the first buses leave.
sit opposite + place
A pharmacy is opposite the library near the river bridge.
Nina parked opposite the blue gate because the lot was full.
The statue stands opposite City Hall at the end of the square.
stand opposite + place
- opposite the station
- opposite the bank
- opposite City Hall
- park opposite
- across from
a very close everyday equivalent, especially in North American use.
- facing
can be similar, but it focuses more on direction than position.
- beside
shows a side-by-side position rather than one across from the other.
Grammar Patterns
sit/live/stand opposite + place/person
Usage Note
Use this sense before the place or person on the far side of a street, table, room, or other space. Distinguish from the adverb sense: this one must be followed by an object.
Common Mistakes
2. in a matching role with another actor in the same film, play, or show
in a matching role with another actor in the same film, play, or show
Park Eun-bin acted opposite Lee Je-hoon in the new drama.
act opposite + actor
In the school play, Maya performed opposite the boy playing Hamlet.
Nina starred opposite a veteran actor in her first TV series.
star opposite + actor
Ken will appear opposite his sister in next month's musical.
appear opposite + actor
- act opposite
- appear opposite
- star opposite
- perform opposite
Grammar Patterns
act/appear opposite + actor
Usage Note
Usually follows acting verbs such as act, appear, perform, and star. The noun after opposite names the other performer, not the audience or the place.
opposite — noun
- oppositesingular
- oppositesplural
1. a person or thing that seems completely different in character, effect, or behav
a person or thing that seems completely different in character, effect, or behavior from another
Lina loves crowded markets, but her brother is the opposite.
be the opposite
This soft cheese is the opposite of the dry one.
the opposite of + noun phrase
Their new coach, calm and quiet, is the exact opposite of the last one.
the exact opposite of
My weekend routine of late breakfasts and bike rides is the opposite of workdays.
- the opposite of
- the exact opposite
- be the opposite
- complete opposite
- reverse
often used for order, direction, or arrangement rather than character.
- contrast
focuses on difference itself, not always on one thing being the direct other side.
- counterpart
usually means a matching person or thing, not a completely different one.
- match
suggests close similarity or fit.
Grammar Patterns
be the opposite of + noun phrase
Usage Note
Most often appears in the pattern the opposite of. It usually compares two people or things in a broad way, not just in one tiny detail.
Common Mistakes
opposite — adverb
1. across, in the place that faces the other person or thing
across, in the place that faces the other person or thing
Our cousins lived opposite, above a noodle shop near the station.
live opposite
The manager waved from opposite as Daniel crossed the hall.
After the bank closed, a flower shop opened opposite on King Street.
At dinner, Maya and Leo sat opposite and shared the dumplings.
sit opposite
- live opposite
- be opposite
- from opposite
Grammar Patterns
live/be/stand opposite
Usage Note
Unlike the preposition sense, this use stands alone without a noun after it. It is common when the place or person is already clear from context.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- opposeverbB2
- opposedadjectiveB2
- oppositionnounB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: preposition/1
For this sense, opposite places two people or things on different sides of the same space, usually with a clear face-to-face layout. Across from is the closest everyday equivalent and is especially common in North American speech. Facing is similar, but it stresses direction more strongly and can be used even when the distance is very small. Beside is different: it means next to, not across a gap. If a cafe is opposite the station, the road or square is between them. If it is beside the station, they are side by side. Remember: opposite the bank and across from the bank mean nearly the same thing.
Common collocations
Nouns
- opposite side
- opposite direction
- opposite end
Adverbs
- directly opposite
- exactly opposite
Phrases
- the opposite of
- the exact opposite
- sit opposite someone
- live opposite
Prepositions
- opposite to
- opposite of
Etymology
Opposite comes from Latin roots meaning set against. It reached English through French from Latin oppositus, the past participle of opponere, which meant place one thing against another. That history matches the modern ideas of facing across, being in contrast, or standing on the other side.