opposite
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- facing, fronting
- different, antithetical, conflicting, contrary, contrasted, reverse, unlike
[noun]
Synonyms:
- reverse, antithesis, contradiction, contrary, converse, inverse

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Antonyms: same
Contrasted words: analogon, analogue, counterpart, like, parallel, similar, equal, equivalent, correlate, correlative, carbon copy, duplicate, replica, alike, analogous
Related Idioms: the other extreme, the other side of the coin
Related Words: contrast, counterpoint, foil, contrapositive, inverse, obverse, antonym, contrasting, antonymous, different, dissimilar, divergent, opposed, unalike, unlike, unsimilar, independent, separate, unconnected, unrelated

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. op‧po‧site¹ S2 W2 /ˈɒpəzət, ˈɒpəzɪt $ ˈɑːp-/ preposition

1. especially British English if one thing or person is opposite another, they are facing each other:
The people sitting opposite us looked very familiar.
on the wall opposite the door
► Do not say that one thing is ‘opposite to’ or ‘opposite of’ another. Say that one thing is opposite another: There’s a car park opposite the hotel.

2. play/star/appear etc opposite somebody to act with someone in a film, especially as the two main characters:
a comedy in which he stars opposite Julia Roberts

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. opposite² adjective [only before noun]
[Word Family: adjective: opposed ≠ unopposed, opposing, opposite; noun: opposition, opposite; verb: oppose; adverb: opposite]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French; Origin: Latin, past participle of opponere; ⇒ oppose]

1. as different as possible from something else:
I thought the medicine would make him sleep, but it had the opposite effect.
at the opposite end of the scale/spectrum
two parties at opposite ends of the political spectrum
At the opposite extreme, Ashworth’s style is very simple and modern.
Bob was quicker than Ed? It’s usually the opposite way round.
opposite to
a political philosophy that was opposite to everything she believed in

2. the opposite direction, way etc is directly away from someone or something:
She turned and walked off in the opposite direction.
But the sign was pointing the opposite way.

3. the opposite side, corner, edge etc of something is on the other side of the same area, often facing it:
The store was on the opposite side of the street.
the drawing on the opposite page
They work at opposite ends of the country (=a long distance apart), so only see each other at weekends.

4. the opposite sex the other sex. If you are a man, women are the opposite sex:
members of the opposite sex

5. sb’s opposite number someone who has the same job in another similar organization:
a meeting with her opposite number at the Department of Health

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

III. opposite³ noun [countable]
[Word Family: adjective: opposed ≠ unopposed, opposing, opposite; noun: opposition, opposite; verb: oppose; adverb: opposite]

1. a person or thing that is as different as possible from someone or something else
opposite of
What’s the opposite of ‘optimistic’?
She’s quite shy, the exact opposite of Becky.
The two men were complete opposites – Simon tall and fair, Clive short and dark.
If anything, the opposite was true.
Is it sensible to think of masculine/feminine as polar opposites (=exactly or completely opposite)?

2. not ... just/quite the opposite used to say that something is completely different from what has just been said:
I didn’t feel sleepy at all – just the opposite, in fact.

3. opposites attract used to say that often people who have completely different characters become friends or are attracted to each other

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

IV. opposite⁴ adverb especially British English
[Word Family: adjective: opposed ≠ unopposed, opposing, opposite; noun: opposition, opposite; verb: oppose; adverb: opposite]
in a position on the other side of the same area:
Hannah lives just opposite.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

opposite
noun
ADJ. complete, direct, exact, precise, very | polar
OPPOSITE + VERB be the case, be true The oboe tends to lose power in the upper register, but with the clarinet the opposite is the case.
PREP. the ~ of/to Doubt is not the opposite of faith?unbelief is. In temperament, she was the complete opposite to her sister.
PHRASES exactly/just/quite the opposite The effect was exactly the opposite to what he intended.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

opposite

the complete/total opposite
She is the complete opposite of her sister.
the exact/precise/direct opposite
My own experience says that the exact opposite is true.
the polar opposite of something (also polar opposites) (=used about two things, people etc that are completely opposite)
These two viewpoints seem like polar opposites.
Mum was the polar opposite of dear old Dad.
the opposite is the case/is true
People believe the sun moved around the earth, but Copernicus showed that the opposite was the case.
exactly/precisely the opposite (=completely different than what has been said)
It looks simple, but it is exactly the opposite.
the very opposite (=exactly the opposite)
Exercise does not increase the appetite - in fact, the very opposite is true.
just/quite the opposite (=exactly the opposite)
He wasn’t laughing. Quite the opposite, in fact.
do the opposite
Whatever I tell him to do, he does the opposite.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

opposite
I.
adjective
1.
BAD: People have opposite opinions about this matter.
GOOD: People have different opinions about this matter.
BAD: The Americans I met were opposite to what I had imagined.
GOOD: The Americans I met were very different from what I had imagined.
BAD: My own country and the USA are totally opposite of each other.
GOOD: My own country and the USA are totally different (from each other).

Usage Note:
Use opposite and the opposite of only when you mean that two things are as different as it is possible to be: 'I thought that the medicine would make him sleepy, but it had the opposite effect.' 'The opposite of long is short.' 'The two men went off in opposite directions.' (= one went to the left and one to the right)
To describe people's opinions, life styles, ways of thinking etc, the usual word is different : 'These two schools of thought are completely different.'

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2.
BAD: The opposite woman was knitting a cardigan.
GOOD: The woman opposite was knitting a cardigan.

Usage Note:
When opposite means 'facing the speaker or the person/place being talked about', it comes immediately after the noun: 'The house opposite is also for sale.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

opposite
II.
preposition
BAD: On the wall opposite to the door, there was a large painting.
GOOD: On the wall opposite the door, there was a large painting.
BAD: The phone booths are opposite of the tube station.
GOOD: The phone booths are opposite the tube station.

Usage Note:
One thing is opposite another thing (WITHOUT to/of ): 'The nearest bus stop is opposite the bank.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲