- a person that you are playing or fighting against in a game, competition, argument, etc. synonym adversary
- a political opponent
- a worthy/formidable/fierce/tough/staunch opponent
- The team's opponents are unbeaten so far this season.
Extra ExamplesTopics Opinion and argumentb2, Games and toysb2- He has knocked out 15 opponents in 20 fights.
- Today she faces her toughest opponent on Centre Court.
- He drew his sword and turned to face his opponent.
- She proved a formidable opponent in the debating chamber.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- chief
- main
- dangerous
- …
- attack
- hit
- fight
- …
- a person who is against something and tries to change or stop it
- opponent of something opponents of abortion
- opponents of the regime
- the most outspoken opponents of the war
- Opponents argue that the scheme would be prohibitively expensive.
- There were violent clashes between supporters and opponents of the government.
Extra Examples- The regime has been accused of torturing and killing its opponents.
- He has emerged as a leading opponent of the reforms.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- chief
- leading
- main
- …
Word Originlate 16th cent. (denoting a person opening an academic debate by proposing objections to a philosophical or religious thesis): from Latin opponent- ‘setting against’, from the verb opponere, from ob- ‘against’ + ponere ‘place’.
Check pronunciation:
opponent