opponent

1 of 2

noun

op·​po·​nent ə-ˈpō-nənt How to pronounce opponent (audio)
1
: one that takes an opposite position (as in a debate, contest, or conflict)
She is a formidable opponent in the race for senator.
opponents of the war
2
: a muscle that opposes or counteracts and limits the action of another

opponent

2 of 2

adjective

1
2
: situated in front

Examples of opponent in a Sentence

Noun She is a formidable opponent in the race for senator. The team's opponents have not lost a game this season. He knocked out his opponent in the third round.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In the primary’s final stretch, her opponents cast her as the second coming of Mr. Bloomberg, a moderate at a moment that demanded something more radical. Eliza Shapiro, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2023 Reagan’s opponents, not surprisingly, adopted the term. Leah Askarinam, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2023 With any set of intransitive dice, whoever chooses first in Buffett’s game bears a disadvantage, because the second player can always pick the die that’s likely to defeat their opponent’s choice. Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 19 Sep. 2023 The Patriots don’t strike much fear into opponents. Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Sep. 2023 The Gamecocks have limited opponents to just 12-for-40 (30%) on third down. Creg Stephenson | Cstephenson@al.com, al, 19 Sep. 2023 Since that game, Samford has lost 33 consecutive meetings with SEC opponents. Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 16 Sep. 2023 The victory was the program’s fourth in the past five meetings with the Cavaliers and extended its winning streak against nonconference opponents to 11, the third-longest streak among NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision programs. Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2023 That step came just in time for the Buckeyes’ strength of schedule to pick up significantly starting with a Notre Dame opponent that features NFL-level talent on both sides of its offensive line. Stephen Means, cleveland, 16 Sep. 2023
Adjective
Trump’s former running mate and now opponent, Mike Pence, defended the song while speaking to reporters in New Hampshire. Emma Barnett, NBC News, 21 July 2023 The Kings ranked 25th in scoring defense and second-to-last in opponent field goal percentage last season. 7. Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY, 24 June 2023 In addition, Denver is in the middle of the pack at eighth for opponent 3-point percentage allowed (34.2%). Dana Scott, The Arizona Republic, 30 Apr. 2023 The Fever were last in the WNBA in field goal percentage, points scored, points allowed, and opponent field goal percentage. Scooby Axson, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2023 Similarly, the Bulls’ offense ranks 6th in FG percentage while the Raptors’ defense ranks 27th in opponent FG percentage. Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 10 Apr. 2023 The Huskies allow an opponent three-point percentage of 29.7% (No. 13 in NCAA) and control the boards by averaging 39.3 rebounds per game (No. 10 in NCAA). Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2023 Forty percent of opponent field goal attempts are 3s, well above the national average. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2023 Well, actually Auburn is sixth in opponent 3-point percentage, 28.8, so enjoy the trip back to Iowa City, Fran. Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 14 Mar. 2023 See More

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Medieval Latin oppōnent-, oppōnens "one who proposes something for discussion," from present participle of Latin oppōnere "to place as an obstacle, set in opposition to, argue in reply" — more at oppose

Adjective

borrowed from Latin oppōnent-, oppōnens, present participle of oppōnere "to place as an obstacle, set in opposition to, argue in reply" — more at oppose

First Known Use

Noun

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of opponent was in 1553

Dictionary Entries Near opponent

Cite this Entry

“Opponent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opponent. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

opponent

noun
op·​po·​nent
ə-ˈpō-nənt
: a person or thing that opposes another

Medical Definition

opponent

noun
op·​po·​nent ə-ˈpō-nənt How to pronounce opponent (audio)
: a muscle that opposes or counteracts and limits the action of another

More from Merriam-Webster on opponent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!