leader of the opposition

noun phrase

: the principal member of the opposition party in a British legislative body who is given the status of a salaried government official and an important role in organizing the business of the house

Examples of leader of the opposition in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As a leader of the opposition to these despots, Sirleaf survived imprisonment, exile, and an abusive husband. —

Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2024 For now, the leader of the opposition, María Corina Machado, remains in Venezuela and has vowed to continue to fight. —

Christopher Sabatini, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2024 The main leader of the opposition, Gonzalez, and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, have gone into hiding since the vote. —

Greg Wehner, Fox News, 4 Sep. 2024 There is no official leader of the opposition in American politics, but the pro-democracy coalition cannot afford to splinter. —

Barton Gellman, Washington Post, 30 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for leader of the opposition

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'leader of the opposition.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of leader of the opposition was in 1771

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Leader of the opposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leader%20of%20the%20opposition. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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