Oppositeness

op·po·site  (p-zt)

adj.

1. Placed or located directly across from something else or from each other: opposite sides of a building.

2. Facing the other way; moving or tending away from each other: opposite directions.

3. Being the other of two complementary or mutually exclusive things: the opposite sex; an opposite role to the lead in the play.

4.

a. Altogether different, as in nature, quality, or significance: The effect of the medication was opposite to that intended.

b. Sharply contrasting; antithetical: had opposite views on the subject.

5. Botany Growing in pairs on either side of a stem: opposite leaves.

n.

1. One that is opposite or contrary to another.

2. An opponent or antagonist.

3. An antonym.

adv.

In an opposite position: They sat opposite at the table.

prep.

1. Across from or facing: parked the car opposite the bank.

2. In a complementary dramatic role to: He played opposite her.

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[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin oppositus, past participle of oppnere, oppose; see oppose.]

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oppo·site·ly adv.

oppo·site·ness n.

Synonyms: opposite, contrary, antithetical, contradictory
These adjectives mean marked by a natural or innate and irreconcilable opposition. Two things that are altogether different are opposite: Antonyms are words of opposite meaning. "It is said that opposite characters make a union happiest" Charles Reade.
Contrary stresses extreme divergence: Democrats and Republicans often hold contrary opinions.
Antithetical emphasizes diametrical opposition: engaged in practices entirely antithetical to their professed beliefs.
Contradictory implies denial or inconsistency: "contradictory attributes of unjust justice and loving vindictiveness" John Morley.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

oppositeness - the relation between opposed entities opposition relation - an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together antipode - direct opposite; "quiet: an antipode to focused busyness" antithesis - exact opposite; "his theory is the antithesis of mine" conflict - opposition in a work of drama or fiction between characters or forces (especially an opposition that motivates the development of the plot); "this form of conflict is essential to Mann's writing" contrast, direct contrast - the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared; "in contrast to", "by contrast" flip side - a different aspect of something (especially the opposite aspect); "the flip side of your positive qualities sometimes get out of control"; "on the flip side of partnerships he talked about their competition" mutual opposition, polarity - a relation between two opposite attributes or tendencies; "he viewed it as a balanced polarity between good and evil" gradable opposition - an opposition that is capable of being graded polarity, sign - having an indicated pole (as the distinction between positive and negative electric charges); "he got the polarity of the battery reversed"; "charges of opposite sign" ungradable opposition - an opposition that has no intermediate grade; either one or the other contradictoriness - the relation that exists when opposites cannot coexist contradiction - opposition between two conflicting forces or ideas contrary - exact opposition; "public opinion to the contrary he is not guilty" contrariety - the relation between contraries tertium quid - some third thing similar to two opposites but distinct from both contrary, reverse, opposite - a relation of direct opposition; "we thought Sue was older than Bill but just the reverse was true" inverse, opposite - something inverted in sequence or character or effect; "when the direct approach failed he tried the inverse" antagonism - the relation between opposing principles or forces or factors; "the inherent antagonism of capitalism and socialism"