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

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Front-runner Lee Jae-myung has clashed with Yoon's government as leader of the opposition, after closely losing to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election. Se Eun Gong, NPR, 2 June 2025 The person in the video who appears in the yellow shirt is former South African President Jacob Zuma, who is now the leader of the opposition uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party. Liezl Thom, ABC News, 21 May 2025 The front-runner at the moment is Lee Jae-myung, the populist leader of the opposition Democratic Party. Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025 Although Maduro retained power and González was forced into exile, Machado remains in hiding as the leader of the opposition and a key figure advocating for political change. Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for leader of the opposition

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

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Cite this Entry

“Leader of the opposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leader%20of%20the%20opposition. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

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