Ideally, all words would be clearly distinct in spelling and pronunciation. In practice, there are so many homophones in English that this would mean getting rid of half the language.
For the time being, then, we’re going to have to put up with words like ‘oppose’ and ‘appose’, which sound similar but have completely different meanings. To avoid errors in your written work, you’ll just have to lean what each term means!
Oppose (Act Against or Disapprove)
The most common meaning of ‘oppose’ is to ‘disapprove of’ something:
I’ve been opposed to homework since I was at school.
It can also involve more direct opposition, such as acting against something:
She dedicated all her time to opposing the regime.
Physically, ‘oppose’ means ‘place opposite’ something:
He positioned the chair so it opposed the doorway.
Finally, ‘oppose’ can also be used to describe two things in opposition to one another, particularly with the phrase ‘as opposed to’:
I value hard work as opposed to innate brilliance.
Find this useful?
Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.
In all cases, though, ‘oppose’ refers to things being in opposition to or against something.
Appose (Place Side by Side)
‘Appose’ means ‘place side by side’, ‘place next to’ or ‘juxtapose two things’:
I apposed the images to highlight their different compositions.
This word is must less common than ‘oppose’, so always check this is the term you need.
Oppose or Appose?
As mentioned above, ‘appose’ is fairly rare these days and mostly appears in old or very technical writing. Thus, ninety percent of the time, you’ll need the word ‘oppose’.
Furthermore, since there’s such a difference in what these terms mean, it’s important not to mix them up. The key is that ‘oppose’ is related to ‘opposite’, so it’s used when two things are physically opposite or in opposition to one another. Remember:
Oppose = Act against, disapprove or place opposite
Appose = Place side by side