1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

oppositely

adverb

Definition of oppositelynext
as in inversely

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of oppositely The Democratic National Committee (DNC), as an intervening party to the case, had oppositely argued that unlimited coordinated spending would effectively erode limits on contributions. — Barbara McQuade, Mercury News, 7 July 2026 The fluctuations were concentrated near a boundary where oppositely directed magnetic fields meet — a region where scientists suspect magnetic stress builds up before flares. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 15 June 2026 Electrostatic forces occur when oppositely charged particles interact with each other. — IEEE Spectrum, 30 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oppositely
  1. inversely
  2. conversely
  3. contrarily
  4. differently
  5. otherwise
  6. vice versa
Adverb
  • In fact, Apple stock hasn't been this inversely correlated to its tech peers since 2005, according to a CNBC analysis using ThinkOrSwim data.
    — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Metals prices largely declined throughout the Iran war, as metals generally traded inversely with oil prices, which spiked.
    — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of inversely
Adverb
  • With this new friction bubbling over, conversely Miguel is growing jealous of his wife’s work with a young American writer, Jeremy (Patrick Schwarzenegger), traveling through London.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026
  • And, conversely, which (if any) caused folks to wander off hunting for a Pronto Pup instead.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of conversely
Adverb
  • Perhaps contrarily Kirkham believes being a selective luddite is actually the easier path.
    — Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • In respect of job losses due to AI, however, panellists seem to be contrarily upbeat.
    — Marcus Lim, Variety, 16 June 2026
Definition of contrarily
Adverb
  • These platforms each operate differently and can draw from numerous sources.
    — Evan Nierman, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Part of the investigation’s task was to examine the response of the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), including whether senior staff should have responded differently when suspicions about Letby’s behavior were eventually raised.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of differently
Adverb
  • Iowa State’s 13-10 win last year in Ames damaged Iowa’s CFP opportunities, which would otherwise have been alive into mid-November.
    — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The 6-foot, 222-pound junior found the end zone twice and rushed for 266 yards against FSU, the most in the long-standing series, for a bright spot to cap an otherwise dismal 2025.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of otherwise
Adverb
  • So fall travel has historically been the domain of empty-nesters, young couples without dependents, parents bringing along adult children (or vice versa), friend groups, and solo adventurers.
    — Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
  • All this creates a virtuous flywheel where more use of AI agents creates more demand for Dell’s servers, and vice versa.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of vice versa

Browse Nearby Words

opposite
oppositely
oppositeness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Oppositely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oppositely. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of watershed

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All