oppose

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”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈpəʊz/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /əˈpoʊz/, [ʔəpʰoʊːz̥]

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əʊz
• Hyphenation: op‧pose

oppose (third-person singular simple present opposes, present participle opposing, simple past and past participle opposed)

1. To attempt to stop the progression of; to resist or antagonize by physical means, or by arguments, etc.; to contend against.

   Synonyms: confront, withstand, resist, hinder, obstruct, buck

   to oppose the king in battle

   to oppose a bill in Congress

   There is still time to oppose this plan.

   • 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:

     I am […] too weak / To oppose your cunning.

2. To object to.

   Synonyms: take issue with, speak out, contest, repugn, argue

   Many religious leaders oppose cloning humans.

3. To present or set up in opposition; to pose.

   They are opposed to any form of hierarchy.

   • 1689 December (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], Two Treatises of Government: […], London: […] Awnsham Churchill, […], →OCLC:
     , Book I

     I may […] oppose my single opinion to his.

   • 1839, Philip Meadows Taylor, Confessions of a Thug:

     [T]hree walls had been left standing, with large intervals between each; and they would certainly oppose a most formidable interruption to an invader.

4. To place in front of, or over against; to set opposite; to exhibit.
   • 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:

     Her grace sat down […] / In a rich chair of state; opposing freely / The beauty of her person to the people.

• be against, fight (against), check, bar, block, prevent, take on, counter, contest, resist, confront, face, combat, defy, thwart, contradict, withstand, stand up to, hinder, struggle against, obstruct, fly in the face of, take issue with, be hostile to, counterattack, speak out against, be in opposition to, be in defiance of, strive against, set one's face against, take a stand, make a stand against

• support

• opposable

• opponent
• opposer
• opposite
• opposition

• “oppose”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “oppose”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “oppose”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

• oppoes

• Audio:

  (file)

oppose

1. inflection of opposer:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative

oppose

1. third-person singular past historic of opporre