oppose

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈpoʊz/ UK /əˈpəʊz/ See IPA manual

Homophones

appose /əˈpoʊz/

Freq #9736

Meanings

1

verb
To disagree with and try to prevent something.

Usage: Oppose takes its object directly: oppose a plan or oppose a change. Be opposed to is a separate grammatical pattern.

Several residents oppose the plan to close the only public library.

The senator said they would oppose the bill.
2

verb
To be against or in conflict with something.

Many religious leaders oppose cloning humans.
3

verb
To set one thing against another as a contrast or rival.

The film opposes love against duty.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to disagree with and try to... fight resist

2 verb · to be against or in... contradict contest

3 verb · to set one thing against... pit

More bar block check combat confront countercounterattackdefy dispute face

Opposites

support

Word family

Forms opposesunopposed

Derived forms opposabilityopposableopposablyopposalopposeeopposelessopposurereoppose

Related forms opponent opposer opposite opposition

Simplified etymology

Oppose entered late Middle English and ultimately derives from Latin ponere, “to put or place.” Its formation conveys the literal idea “place against.”

Etymology

Through French opposer, connected with Latin ob-, against, and pōnere, to put, replacing the older Latin formation opponere.

*tḱey- Proto-Indo-European opposen Middle English opposer Old French ob Latin pono la-med oppono Latin ponere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# oppose

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈpoʊz/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈpəʊz/
**Frequency rank:** 9736

## Meanings
1. To disagree with and try to prevent something.
2. To be against or in conflict with something.
3. To set one thing against another as a contrast or rival.

## Usage Notes
- To disagree with and try to prevent something.: Oppose takes its object directly: oppose a plan or oppose a change. Be opposed to is a separate grammatical pattern.

## Examples
- Several residents oppose the plan to close the only public library.
- The senator said they would oppose the bill.
- Many religious leaders oppose cloning humans.
- The film opposes love against duty.

## Synonyms
- bar
- block
- check
- combat
- confront
- contest
- contradict
- counter
- counterattack
- defy
- dispute
- face

## Antonyms
- support

## Derived Forms
- opposability
- opposable
- opposably
- opposal
- opposee
- opposeless
- opposure
- reoppose

## Related Forms
- opponent
- opposer
- opposite
- opposition

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *tḱey-
- Root: opposen
- Root: opposer
- Root: ob
- Root: pono
- Root: oppono
- Root: ponere - to put

## Etymology
Through French opposer, connected with Latin ob-, against, and pōnere, to put, replacing the older Latin formation opponere.

## AI Etymology
Oppose comes from Middle English opposen, from Old French opposer, from Latin ob (“before, against”) + Medieval Latin pono (“to put”), taking the place of Latin opponere (“to oppose”). The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *tḱey-, Middle English opposen, Old French opposer, Latin ob, la-med pono, and Latin oppono. Modern senses include to disagree with and try to prevent something and to be against or in conflict with something. The wider word family includes derivatives such as opposability, opposable, opposably, opposal, opposee, and opposeless and related forms such as opponent, opposer, opposite, and opposition.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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