opposite
OP-uh-ziht
Opposite (adjective) means Located directly across from something, or facing the other direction. Example: “They live on opposite sides of the street.”
adjective
1
Located directly across from something, or facing the other direction.
"They live on opposite sides of the street."
"She sat in the opposite corner of the room from me."
"Take the bus going in the opposite direction to reach the airport."
2
Completely different or contrary in nature.
"The two brothers have opposite personalities."
"The new manager had the opposite effect from what everyone expected."
"They reached opposite conclusions after reading the same report."
noun
1
A person or thing that is completely different from another, often its exact reverse.
""Hot" is the opposite of "cold.""
"She's the complete opposite of her sister."
"Tall is the opposite of short, as every child learns."
preposition
1
Facing or across from.
"The bakery is opposite the train station."
"The cinema is opposite the library on the high street."
"He parked his van directly opposite our front gate."
How to use opposite
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFacing something from across, or being the exact reverse of it.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
opposite direction
exact opposite
quite the opposite
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Word forms
- Plural
- opposites
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They live on _____ sides of the street.
Etymology
From Old French oposite, from Latin oppositus, the past participle of opponere, "to set against" — related to "oppose."
Synonyms
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facing
across from
opposing
other
reverse
opposition
inverse
opponent
contrary
antonym
antipodean
antithetical
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for opposite
See all rhymes for opposite →Frequently asked questions
What does “opposite” mean?
The word “opposite” means located directly across from something, or facing the other direction. In plain terms, facing something from across, or being the exact reverse of it.
How do you pronounce “opposite”?
“Opposite” is pronounced OP-uh-ziht (/ˈɑ.pə.sɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “opposite” in a sentence?
Here is “opposite” used in a sentence: “They live on opposite sides of the street.”
What is another word for “opposite”?
Words with a similar meaning to “opposite” include antipodean, antithetical, contrariant, contradictory, contrariwise and contrary.
What is the opposite of “opposite”?
The opposite of “opposite” — its antonyms — is identical.
What part of speech is “opposite”?
Depending on how it is used, “opposite” can be an adjective, a noun and a preposition.
Where does the word “opposite” come from?
The word “opposite” comes from Latin. From Old French oposite, from Latin oppositus, the past participle of opponere, "to set against" — related to "oppose.".
Is “opposite” a common word?
“Opposite” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between opposite and adjacent?
Opposite means directly across from something, facing it from the other side; adjacent means next to or beside it. In a room, the opposite wall faces you, while an adjacent wall meets it at a corner. In geometry the terms describe an angle's far side versus its neighbouring side.
What is the difference between opposite and reverse?
Opposite describes position — located across from, or facing the other way. Reverse describes direction or order turned backward, as in reverse gear or reverse the sequence. They overlap when facing the other direction, but reverse stresses undoing or inverting, while opposite stresses being across from or contrary to something.
What is an example of opposite?
If you sit across a table from someone, you sit opposite them. Two shops facing each other across a street are on opposite sides. A person walking the other way is heading in the opposite direction. In each case, opposite marks a position directly across or a facing, contrary orientation.
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