leader of the opposition

noun phrase

: the principal member of the opposition party in a British legislative body who is given the status of a salaried government official and an important role in organizing the business of the house

Examples of leader of the opposition in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
İnönü, resisting advice from military leaders to ignore the result, resigned from the presidency and took up a new role as the leader of the opposition in the parliament. — Nick Taborall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026 Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the opposition People’s Party, has led the charge against Sanchez’s government, criticizing him again on Thursday after the ambush of the military vehicle. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2026 Philip was accompanied by Prime Minister Alec and Elizabeth Douglas- Home, Harold Wilson (the leader of the opposition party), Lord Andrew Cavendish (Kick Kennedy’s brother-in-law), and his wife, Deborah. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 2 June 2026 Peter Magyar, leader of the opposition Tisza party, waves the Hungarian flag following the announcement of partial results of the parliamentary election in Budapest on Sunday. — Patrick Smith, NBC news, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for leader of the opposition

Word History

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leader of the opposition was in 1771

Rhymes for leader of the opposition

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Browse Nearby Words

leaderman
leader of the opposition
leader pin
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Cite this Entry

“Leader of the opposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leader%20of%20the%20opposition. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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