Opposite can be a preposition, a noun, or an adjective.
If one building or room is opposite another, they are separated from each other by a street or corridor.
If two people are opposite each other, they are facing each other, for example when they are sitting at the same table.
Speakers of American English usually say across from rather than 'opposite' in both of the above senses.
If two things or people are totally different from each other in some way, you can say that one is the opposite of the other.
You can use the opposite without 'of', if it is clear what you are making a contrast with.
Be Careful!
You cannot express difference by saying that one thing or person is 'opposite' another.
Opposite can be an adjective either in front of a noun or after a noun, but with different meanings.
You use opposite in front of a noun when you are mentioning one of two sides of something.
You also use opposite in front of a noun when you are talking about something that is totally different from something else in some way.
You use opposite after a noun when you are mentioning someone or something that is on the other side of a street, corridor, room, or table from yourself.
A building can be referred to as, for example, 'the house on the opposite side of the street' or 'the house opposite'. Don't refer to it as 'the opposite house'.
Don't confuse opposite with opposed. If someone is opposed to something, they disagree with it or disapprove of it.
Noun | 1. | ![]() word - a unit of language that native speakers can identify; "words are the blocks from which sentences are made"; "he hardly said ten words all morning" direct antonym - antonyms that are commonly associated (e.g., `wet' and `dry') indirect antonym - antonyms whose opposition is mediated (e.g., the antonymy of `wet' and `parched' is mediated by the similarity of `parched' to `dry') |
2. | ![]() oppositeness, opposition - the relation between opposed entities | |
3. | ![]() contestant - a person who participates in competitions | |
4. | ![]() additive inverse - (mathematics) one of a pair of numbers whose sum is zero; the additive inverse of -5 is +5 multiplicative inverse, reciprocal - (mathematics) one of a pair of numbers whose product is 1: the reciprocal of 2/3 is 3/2; the multiplicative inverse of 7 is 1/7 oppositeness, opposition - the relation between opposed entities | |
Adj. | 1. | opposite - 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" other - not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied; "today isn't any other day"- the White Queen; "the construction of highways and other public works"; "he asked for other employment"; "any other person would tell the truth"; "his other books are still in storage"; "then we looked at the other house"; "hearing was good in his other ear"; "the other sex"; "she lived on the other side of the street from me"; "went in the other direction" |
2. | opposite - of leaves etc; growing in pairs on either side of a stem; "opposite leaves" alternate - of leaves and branches etc; first on one side and then on the other in two ranks along an axis; not paired; "stems with alternate leaves" | |
3. | opposite - moving or facing away from each other; "looking in opposite directions"; "they went in opposite directions" other - not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied; "today isn't any other day"- the White Queen; "the construction of highways and other public works"; "he asked for other employment"; "any other person would tell the truth"; "his other books are still in storage"; "then we looked at the other house"; "hearing was good in his other ear"; "the other sex"; "she lived on the other side of the street from me"; "went in the other direction" | |
4. | opposite - the other one of a complementary pair; "the opposite sex"; "the two chess kings are set up on squares of opposite colors" other - not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied; "today isn't any other day"- the White Queen; "the construction of highways and other public works"; "he asked for other employment"; "any other person would tell the truth"; "his other books are still in storage"; "then we looked at the other house"; "hearing was good in his other ear"; "the other sex"; "she lived on the other side of the street from me"; "went in the other direction" | |
5. | opposite - 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 different - unlike in nature or quality or form or degree; "took different approaches to the problem"; "came to a different conclusion"; "different parts of the country"; "on different sides of the issue"; "this meeting was different from the earlier one" | |
6. | opposite - 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" different - unlike in nature or quality or form or degree; "took different approaches to the problem"; "came to a different conclusion"; "different parts of the country"; "on different sides of the issue"; "this meeting was different from the earlier one" | |
Adv. | 1. | opposite - 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" |