Collocations for "opponent"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "opponent" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2026
opponent
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.n
- an opponent of [abortion, slavery, reforms, change]
- a [worthy, tough, fierce, formidable] opponent
- [faced, took on, sidestepped, dodged] her opponent
- the opponent [tried, attempted, wanted] to
- [beat, defeated, hit, smashed, thrashed, dominated] the opponent
- boxing: [knocked, put] the opponent down (on the canvas)
- lost to his (fiercest) opponent
- will take on [any, every, each] opponent
- a match against (formidable) opponents
'opponent' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
beat
- beating
- better
- blood
- challenge
- check
- chop
- confront
- confuse
- count
- deck
- decoy
- default
- destroy
- discomfort
- dispatch
- down
- face
- fight
- finish
- floor
- force
- foul
- grapple
- hem
- initiative
- knee
- knight
- lace
- lose
- mark
- mat
- measure
- mock
- muck
- mud
- needle
- nutmeg
- out
- overwhelm
- pin
- provoke
- pulp
- punch
- punish
- queen
- resilient
- restrict
- rock
- rope