as opposed to

idiom

used to refer to something that is different from what has just been mentioned
The car gets 30 miles per gallon, as opposed to last year's model, which got only 25.
They use fresh fish, as opposed to fish that has been frozen.
I'd say she is a good player, as opposed to a great one.

Examples of as opposed to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Except that type of driving is exactly what longtime NASCAR drivers are used to and more comfortable with — as opposed to the four-year-old Next Gen car, which shares characteristics with an IMSA sports car designed for road racing. Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 11 July 2025 However, planting vegetation under solar panels—as opposed to the more traditional method of siting solar arrays on somewhat barren land—can help cool them. Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 11 July 2025 Researchers have found that neurons indeed respond in distinct patterns when presented with Hebrew text or DNA/genome sequences, as opposed to English. Rishabh Sambare, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025 For instance, cotton is naturally biodegradable, with cotton fibers breaking down in months, as opposed to a much longer time period for synthetic fibers, according to a review article from North Carolina State University. Catherine Salfino, Sourcing Journal, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for as opposed to

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“As opposed to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/as%20opposed%20to. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on as opposed to

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!