The verbs ‘oppose’ and ‘appose’ sound very similar and can easily be confused. However, ‘oppose’ is pronounced with an ‘uh’ sound at the beginning and ‘appose’ with an ‘ah’ sound.
They also have quite different meanings. You should therefore try your best to use the correct term in any given situation.
The verb ‘oppose’ has two distinct meanings:
You can therefore use ‘opposed’ to talk about the physical position of objects:
The door and window are opposed to one another.
Or ideas that seem to be in disagreement:
The protestors are opposed to the development.
The word ‘opposite’ can thus be used as a preposition describing the position of two objects that are opposed to one another:
The cowboys stood opposite one another in the noon sun.
Alternatively, ‘opposite’ can be used as an adjective when describing something as opposed to something else:
Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.
The shop was on the opposite side of the street.
It can also be used as noun:
Sarah and Fred had little in common: he was her exact opposite!
The verb ‘appose’ means ‘place side by side’ or ‘juxtapose’:
The two edges were apposed and set in place with a clamp.
This term is rare, though. Unless you are using it in a very specific context, you may want to check that you don’t intend ‘opposed’ instead.
Nor should you get this verb confused with ‘apposite’, which is a common word meaning ‘strikingly appropriate or relevant’:
The use of the creepy music for the graveyard scene was apposite.
To have your work checked for mistakes such as these, send your document to the professionals at Proofread My Essay! Happy writing!
Δ
4-minute read
Proofreading is important to ensure your writing is clear and concise for your readers. Whether...
2-minute read
Creating presentations can be time-consuming and frustrating. Trying to construct a visually appealing and informative...
No matter your industry, conducting market research helps you keep up to date with shifting...
In a world where you need to stand out, press releases are key to being...
3-minute read
In the United States, the US Patent and Trademarks Office issues patents. In the United...
A visually appealing and user-friendly website is essential for success in today’s competitive ecommerce landscape....