opposed

1. 1
   adjective

   Acting against something; standing in resistance to a person, plan, or idea.

   The senator remained opposed to the bill despite mounting pressure from his party.

   Local residents stood opposed to the factory development from the very start.

   Similarhostile, resistant, averse, antagonistic

   Oppositesupportive, favorable

2. 2
   verb

   Simple past and past participle of oppose.

   Environmental groups opposed the pipeline at every public hearing.

   The merger was opposed by shareholders who feared job losses.

   Note

   One spelling does two jobs. It is the simple past (residents opposed the plan) and the past participle behind passives and perfects (the plan was opposed; they have opposed it). Watch the preposition. Opposed by marks a passive, with someone doing the opposing, while opposed to usually signals the adjective of resistance, a standing attitude. The verb can also mean to set one thing opposite another, which is the root of the positional adjective.

3. 3
   adjective

   Facing an opponent or rival; not running or competing without challenge.

   The incumbent was opposed by a strong challenger in the primary.

   For the first time in a decade, the chairman found himself opposed at the annual vote.

   Similarchallenged, contested

   Oppositeunopposed, unchallenged

4. 4
   adjective

   Situated directly across from each other; facing or contrary in position.

   The engine uses pistons that are opposed, lying flat on either side of the crankshaft.

   The two forces were exactly opposed, canceling each other out.

   Similaropposite, facing

   Note

   A word of position, not of attitude: nothing here resists anything. Two things simply face each other across a line or a center. Modern Railways in 1962 describes a locomotive cab with "diagonally opposed driving positions", and an adverb such as diagonally or directly says exactly how the two sides face. Keep it distinct from the sense of standing against, which needs someone or something pushing back.

Showing meanings only. Show all 4