Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb oppose

6 senses of oppose

Sense 1
oppose -- (be against; express opposition to; "We oppose the ban on abortion")
       => argue, contend, debate, fence -- (have an argument about something)

Sense 2
fight, oppose, fight back, fight down, defend -- (fight against or resist strongly; "The senator said he would oppose the bill"; "Don't fight it!")
       => contend, fight, struggle -- (be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight; "the tribesmen fought each other"; "Siblings are always fighting"; "Militant groups are contending for control of the country")

Sense 3
oppose, counterbalance -- (contrast with equal weight or force)
       => contrast, counterpoint -- (to show differences when compared; be different; "the students contrast considerably in their artistic abilities")

Sense 4
pit, oppose, match, play off -- (set into opposition or rivalry; "let them match their best athletes against ours"; "pit a chess player against the Russian champion"; "He plays his two children off against each other")
       => confront, face -- (oppose, as in hostility or a competition; "You must confront your opponent"; "Jackson faced Smith in the boxing ring"; "The two enemies finally confronted each other")

Sense 5
react, oppose -- (act against or in opposition to; "She reacts negatively to everything I say")
       => act, move -- (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action); "think before you act"; "We must move quickly"; "The governor should act on the new energy bill"; "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel")

Sense 6
oppose, controvert, contradict -- (be resistant to; "The board opposed his motion")
       => refute, rebut -- (overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof; "The speaker refuted his opponent's arguments")

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