OPPOSITE Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'opposite' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of opposite are antithetical , contradictory , and contrary . While all these words mean "being so far apart as to be or seem irreconcilable," opposite applies to things in sharp contrast or in conflict. // opposite views on foreign aid

Q: When is it sensible to use 'antithetical' instead of 'opposite'?

While the synonyms antithetical and opposite are close in meaning, antithetical stresses clear and unequivocal diametrical opposition. // a law that is antithetical to the very idea of democracy

Q: Where would 'contradictory' be a reasonable alternative to 'opposite'?

The words contradictory and opposite can be used in similar contexts, but contradictory applies to two things that completely negate each other so that if one is true or valid the other must be untrue or invalid. // made contradictory predictions about whether the market would rise or fall

Q: When is 'contrary' a more appropriate choice than 'opposite'?

The meanings of contrary and opposite largely overlap; however, contrary implies extreme divergence or diametrical opposition. // contrary assessments of the war situation

opposite 1 of 2

adjective

ˈä-pə-zət

Definition of opposite next

as in contradictory

being as different as possible those two are fundamentally opposite—she being loquacious and outgoing where he is quiet and reserved

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

opposite

2 of 2

noun

as in contrary

something that is as different as possible from something else no matter what I say, you insist on the opposite

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How does the adjective opposite differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of opposite are antithetical, contradictory, and contrary. While all these words mean "being so far apart as to be or seem irreconcilable," opposite applies to things in sharp contrast or in conflict.

opposite views on foreign aid

When is it sensible to use antithetical instead of opposite?

While the synonyms antithetical and opposite are close in meaning, antithetical stresses clear and unequivocal diametrical opposition.

a law that is antithetical to the very idea of democracy

Where would contradictory be a reasonable alternative to opposite?

The words contradictory and opposite can be used in similar contexts, but contradictory applies to two things that completely negate each other so that if one is true or valid the other must be untrue or invalid.

made contradictory predictions about whether the market would rise or fall

When is contrary a more appropriate choice than opposite?

The meanings of contrary and opposite largely overlap; however, contrary implies extreme divergence or diametrical opposition.

contrary assessments of the war situation

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 opposite

Adjective

Just be sure to pull in the opposite direction of hair growth. —

Iman Balagam, Vogue, 5 June 2025 Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions, so rising demand can push prices higher and yields lower. —

Chloe Taylor,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 5 June 2025

Noun

Another source said that Charles was experiencing the total opposite of that amid the news that Prince Harry revealed that his doesn’t talk to him anymore. —

Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 2 June 2025 What's going to happen here is exactly the opposite. —

Nbc News, NBC news, 1 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for opposite

Recent Examples of Synonyms for opposite

Adjective

Reuters could not independently verify the contradictory accounts.

— Reuters, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
As the nation’s battle lines sharpen on immigration, tension engulfs farmworkers who, in many respects, embody the fraught, sometimes contradictory nature of the debate.

— Ana Ley, New York Times, 30 May 2025

Definition of contradictory

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opposing

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“Opposite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opposite. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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Last Updated: 9 Jun 2025 - Updated example sentences

Synonyms of opposite

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noun

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