Meaning & Definition of Opposite in English

1. A word that expresses a meaning opposed to the meaning of another word, in which case the two words are antonyms of each other

• "To him the antonym of `gay' was `depressed'"

2. A relation of direct opposition

• "We thought sue was older than bill but just the reverse was true"

3. A contestant that you are matched against

4. Something inverted in sequence or character or effect

• "When the direct approach failed he tried the inverse"

1. Being directly across from each other

• Facing

• "And i on the opposite shore will be, ready to ride and spread the alarm"- longfellow

• "We lived on opposite sides of the street"

• "At opposite poles"

2. Of leaves etc

• Growing in pairs on either side of a stem

• "Opposite leaves"

3. Moving or facing away from each other

• "Looking in opposite directions"

• "They went in opposite directions"

4. The other one of a complementary pair

• "The opposite sex"

• "The two chess kings are set up on squares of opposite colors"

5. Altogether different in nature or quality or significance

• "The medicine's effect was opposite to that intended"

• "It is said that opposite characters make a union happiest"- charles reade

6. Characterized by opposite extremes

• Completely opposed

• "In diametric contradiction to his claims"

• "Diametrical (or opposite) points of view"

• "Opposite meanings"

• "Extreme and indefensible polar positions"

1. Directly facing each other

• "The two photographs lay face-to-face on the table"

• "Lived all their lives in houses face-to-face across the street"

• "They sat opposite at the table"