Okuzeka
Sports & Fitness vocabulary · Competition & Scoring

Opponent

Meaning in sports & fitness, with examples

/əˈpoʊnənt/nounCore term

In sports & fitness, opponent means: The person or team you are playing or competing against in a match, race or contest.

In Turkish: rakip

How it is used

Used by coaches, players and commentators. Teams study, respect, beat or underestimate an opponent, and coaches prepare a game plan for each one. Rival suggests a long-standing competition, while opponent is neutral.

Example sentences

  1. We watched videos of our opponents' last three matches.

  2. Never underestimate an opponent, even one at the bottom of the league.

Common collocations

  • tough opponent
  • face an opponent
  • underestimate an opponent
  • next opponent
  • matchA sports competition between two players or teams, such as a game of football, tennis or boxing, that ends with a result.
  • beatTo defeat a person or team in a game or competition; also to do better than a time or a record.
  • game planThe strategy a coach or team prepares for a particular match, including how to play and how to deal with the opponent's strengths.
  • tacticsThe plans and methods a team or player uses during a game to beat an opponent, such as how to attack, defend or use space.

More terms: Competition & Scoring

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