head-to-head
/hˈɛdtəhˈɛd/
adjectiveinvolving direct confrontation between two sides
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Examples
1. Two of the biggest Rocket League YouTubers SunlessKhan and Musty, are racing head-to-head to reach 1 million subscribers.
2. Parker wrecked Nash head-to-head.
3. - Head-to-head and whoever stays.
4. And those trials typically run a device head-to-head.
5. Our Gold Coast crew is going head-to-head with Xtreme Regime.
heretical
/hɝˈɛtɪkəɫ/
adjectiveopposite to what is widely accepted
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Examples
1. And it's like, it's a heretical idea, but it's kind of beautiful also.
2. And they declared this is heretical.
3. Let me make a further heretical proposition.
4. This is the heretical question.
5. As I say, this is a heretical view.
heterodox
/ˈhɛtɝəˌdɑks/
adjectivenot in agreement with generally approved principles, opinions, or beliefs
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Examples
1. And I should warn you at the outset that I have something of a heterodox view of Marx.
2. He embraces the heterodox idea of monism, sometimes called animist materialism or vitalism, which is essentially a denial of any distinction between the body and the soul.
3. And that the idea of Iran is so anchored in both pre-Islamic notions of spirituality and also in Sufi notions, heterodox messianic.
4. Of course, heterodox work on money demonstrates that orthodoxy invokes a mythical history of money.
5. I think the heterodox stuff on money is right.
heterodoxy
/ˈhɛtɝəˌdɑksi/
nounthe state of acting contrary to generally accepted standards or beliefs
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Examples
1. Jeanne wrote in her piece on the Lawyering Process that there is actual clinical heterodoxy.
2. Now, especially being at UCLA, which is all simulation-based for the last 20 years, I understand and appreciate to a certain degree heterodoxy and that there are different ways in which both to teach students and to try to do justice, not through simulation, I should say, but through other models.
3. So there is clinical heterodoxy.
to stand / hold one's ground
/stˈænd hˈoʊld wˈʌnz ɡɹˈaʊnd/
phraseto keep defending one's plans or opinions despite facing opposition
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Examples
1. They will stand their ground against any enemy that might arise.
2. Nixon told Rockefeller to stand his ground.
3. Under Kentucky law, Kenneth Walker had a right to stand his ground against what he believed was an aggressor.
4. So, you can put your cavalry in front, and it totally works, if you don't expect your enemy to stand their ground.
5. Police are trying to clear the activists, and activists are holding their ground here.
hostile
/ˈhɑstəɫ/, /hɑˈstaɪɫ/
adjectiveunfriendly or aggressive toward others
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Examples
1. Its hazards are hostile to us all.
2. - 24, rat bandits, the situation is hostile.
3. Its hazards are hostile to us all.
4. - I vaporized hostiles.
5. Its hazards are hostile to us all.
hostility
/hɑˈstɪɫəti/
nounbehavior or feelings that are aggressive or unfriendly
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Examples
1. Trump is feeding hostility towards Congress.
2. He saw the hostility firsthand.
3. Later, hostilities broke out again.
4. But he leaked hostility.
5. In July, hostilities resumed again between the Imperials and Protestants.
hot button
/hˈɑːt bˈʌʔn̩/
nouna matter or problem about which people argue a lot and have strong feelings
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Examples
1. What are their hot buttons?
2. Today Aboriginal rights are huge hot button topic in Australian legislation.
3. The use of fluoride, however, is something of a hot button issue.
4. Economic inequality is a hot button issue right now.
5. Diversity in the cast of The Bachelor has been a hot button issue.
beg to (differ / disagree)
/bˈɛɡ tʊ dˈɪfɚ dˌɪsɐɡɹˈiː/
sentenceto politely express disagreement with what has just been stated
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Examples
1. The companies themselves though, beg to differ, Brightmark, founded in 2016, is building a commercial-scale plastics-to-fuel plant in Ashley, Indiana, and aims to process 100,000 tons of plastic by 2021.
2. The Big Tech executives might beg to differ.
3. You might say fairies aren’t real, but fairyflies beg to differ.
4. - I beg to differ.
5. - I beg to differ sir, my palate is incredibly refined.
ill feelings
/ˈɪl fˈiːlɪŋz/
nounfeeling of anger between people, particularly because of an argument
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Examples
1. I could have so many ill feelings about this industry.
2. So, don't have ill feelings toward your friend, she's still your friend.
3. Her parents eventually divorced, but Woodley harbors no ill feelings toward her early years.
impasse
/ˈɪmˌpæs/, /ˌɪmˈpæs/
nouna difficult situation where progress is not possible because the people involved are unable to come to an agreement
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Examples
1. We've reached an impasse.
2. - We reached another impasse, Goorgen.
3. Break the impasse.
4. They had an impasse here, a big impasse.
5. This impasse on Reconstruction, though, basically just sat there until Lincoln's death.
incident
/ˈɪnsədənt/
nouna strong disagreement between two countries that often involves military action
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Examples
1. History records, however, that well over a million passengers rode the wheel during the Fair without incident.
2. This incident sparked nationwide protests, and religious violence between Hindus and Muslims.
3. This incident caused deep embarrassment to Helen.
4. Here are two incidents.
5. So this incident actually happened.
infighting
/ˈɪnˌfaɪtɪŋ/
nounarguments or unfriendly competition between members of a group
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Examples
1. But he was stifled by colonial infighting.
2. Infighting is a very dangerous thing for a group of managers.
3. She has met mudslinging attacks with respect and substance, and infighting with her party with a commitment to it, its values and platform.
4. After Firuz’ Shah’s death in 1388, the Delhi court exploded into political infighting.
5. Infighting is bad.
in opposition to sb/sth
/ɪn ˌɑːpəzˈɪʃən tʊ ˌɛsbˈiː slˈæʃ ˌɛstˌiːˈeɪtʃ/
phrasestrongly against someone or something
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Examples
1. In others, negative integration was key to nation-building, as countries identified themselves in opposition to others or by clearly defining what they weren’t.
2. In others, negative integration was key to nation-building, as countries identified themselves in opposition to others or by clearly defining what they weren’t.
3. That’s a bit complicated, but basically, Scout stands in opposition to the idea that you have to do or be a, b, or c in order to, like, be a real woman.
4. They started in opposition to a controversial extradition bill.
5. The negative comes from the fact that if you let the force push you along your potential energy decreases, while if you fight in opposition to the force your potential energy increases.
in the wrong
/ɪnðə ɹˈɔŋ/
phrasedeserving blame for a mistake, argument, accident, etc.
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Examples
1. He was in the wrong car!
2. The police come and this is the part where I kind of had the chuckle because the police said that Brandon was in the right and the employee was in the wrong.
3. Like, I was so afraid that I was feeling like I was in the wrong for feeling upset that this guy took my license, wouldn't give it back and then broke it.
4. It’s important to realize if you don’t already that regardless of all of this, it doesn’t erase the fact that these things happened, that they’re in the wrong, and that none of this is okay.
5. Well, yes, I was in the wrong.
irreconcilable
/ˌɪˈɹɛkənˌsaɪɫəbəɫ/
adjective(of ideas, positions, etc.) extremely different in a way that reaching an agreement is impossible
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Examples
1. He stated that ’National Socialism and Christianity are irreconcilable’, and proceeded to close churches and arrest priests at will.
2. It's irreconcilable differences, your honor.
3. I understand both parties are requesting a divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
4. And this is, of course, an irreconcilable contradiction.
5. Us Weekly confirmed Clarkson filed for divorce in June 2020, citing irreconcilable differences.
issue
/ˈɪʃu/
nounan important matter about which people argue or talk
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Examples
1. The most complicated issue from a legal standpoint is copyright law.
2. Today I want to talk about an issue that has been coming up as of recently regarding captions.
3. This is partly because of the stay-at-home order that was issued by the governor about two days ago.
4. Surveillance and privacy issues could arise if the central bank is able to monitor every transaction.
5. Other Twitter users took issue with the design of the big garment itself.
to joust
/ˈdʒaʊst/
verbto argue with another person, particularly in a formal occasion such as a debate
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Examples
1. The two parties jousted over the need for action vs. border enforcement.
2. And then Joust, that sealed the deal for me.
3. Joust them in Miranda's honor.
4. Next up is the candy joust of pain.
5. All right gentlemen, the time to joust is now.
to lock
/ˈɫɑk/
verbto get stuck in an argument or difficult situation
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Examples
1. Doorsl locked!
2. Lock the door.
3. Yeah, yeah -♪ Lock the door -♪
4. So, lock your freezers.
5. Lock the bar.
to lock horns
/lˈɑːk hˈɔːɹnz/
phraseto become involved in an argument or fight with someone
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Examples
1. -I hope this is a theme this season, that those two lock horns a lot, because I know that Nick's gonna be real easy for me to beat.
to look for trouble
/lˈʊk fɔːɹ tɹˈʌbəl/
phraseto act or behave in a way that is likely to cause a problem, fight, or argument
Examples
to make mincemeat (out / ) of sb/sth
/mˌeɪk mˈɪnsɪmˌiːt ʌv ˌɛsbˈiː/
phraseto completely defeat or win against someone or something in a convincing and overwhelming manner, whether it be in a competition, argument, game, or other activity
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Examples
1. the Stig made mincemeat of him.
2. Terrified of the Normans’ who thus far had made mincemeat of them in every battle they fought, the Greeks and their mercenaries either fled the field or were slaughtered.
mano a mano
/mˈɑːnoʊ ɐ mˈɑːnoʊ/
adverbwith only two sides confronting one another
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Examples
1. Well, gentlemen, now is your opportunity to go head-to-head, mano a mano.
2. But he seemed to think that this was his fight alone and that he wanted to do it mano a mano.
3. But he seemed to think that this was his fight alone and that he wanted to do it mano a mano.
4. If somebody’s simpatico, if they can talk mano a mano, it will all be OK.
5. It's time to put these consoles side by side and see how they perform mano a mano.
mano-a-mano
/mˈɑːnoʊɐmˈɑːnoʊ/
nouna contest or fight between two sides
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Examples
1. In this case, it's you on your own, mano-a-mano with the water trying to kill you.
minority report
/maɪnˈɔːɹɪɾi ɹɪpˈoːɹt/
nouna report presented by members of a group who do not agree with the majority
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Examples
1. So it was even better than envisioned in "Minority Report."
2. German is not advocating for a Minority Report situation.
3. Alex analyzes Julia’s brain data like Tom Cruise in Minority Report before catching some Z’s.
4. So this is like Minority Report for rodents.
5. It looks like the collar from like, Minority report or something.
misunderstanding
/ˌmɪsəndɝˈstændɪŋ/
nouna minor disagreement
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Examples
1. But the misunderstanding stuck.
2. Misunderstanding isn't necessarily a personal attack.
3. You get an honest misunderstanding.
4. And avoid some seriously embarrassing misunderstandings!
5. We had a misunderstanding.
to mix it up
/mˈɪks ɪt ˈʌp/
phraseto start a fight or argument with someone
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Examples
1. It's nice to mix it up because there really isn't better, there's only different.
2. We like a lot of things but we can mix it up, too.
3. There are short explanations and reflections to mix it up and make it more interesting.
4. Now let's mix it up a little bit.
5. but you could mix it up.
moot point
/mˈuːt pˈɔɪnt/
nouna subject about which there are different opinions or disagreements
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Examples
1. It's not a moot point.
2. His guilt is a moot point.
3. Guilt is a moot point.
4. All of that's a moot point.
5. So it was a moot point.
monkey in the middle
/mˈʌnki ɪnðə mˈɪdəl/
phrasea person who is in the middle of two fighting or arguing sides
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Examples
1. Do they both have monkeys in the middle?
one's way or the highway
/wˈʌnz wˈeɪ ɔːɹ ðə hˈaɪweɪ/
sentenceused to say that someone has two options, either accept what has been said or leave it be
Examples
negation
/nəˈɡeɪʃən/
noundisagreement with someone or something; refusal to do something
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Examples
1. Nonetheless, objective violence possesses that characteristic agency negation.
2. The negation of hope, the opposite of hope would be despair.
3. Basically negation is showing the no, showing the negative in ASL.
4. one of the most interesting versions of this question, though, is negation.
5. Double negations are ungrammatical.
negative
/ˈnɛɡətɪv/
adjectiveindicating or implying refusal, denial, disagreement, or omission
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Examples
1. Now you have negative equity and owe the bank almost $400,000.
2. DNA tests are negative.
3. Stop negatives.
4. The second derivative is negative.
5. Turn negatives into positives.
to negative
/ˈnɛɡətɪv/
verbto refuse to accept a request or proposal
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Examples
1. Now you have negative equity and owe the bank almost $400,000.
2. DNA tests are negative.
3. Stop negatives.
4. The second derivative is negative.
5. Turn negatives into positives.
to niggle
/nˈɪɡəl/
verbto argue over an unimportant thing or criticize someone for it
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Examples
1. I still had questions niggling at the back of my mind about all the other little pieces.
2. And it is always niggled in the back of FAN's minds whether these owners truly understood what it meant to be part of THAIFER clation and part of its history
3. But, straightaway, I must tell you there's a bit of a niggle.
4. But these niggles were overshadowed by the big one.
5. As we sorted out our little niggles, the tally continued to mount.
no
/ˈnoʊ/
interjectionused to give an answer to a question showing that we do not agree or it is not true
Examples
1. I have no wife, and no sons.
2. I have no wife, and no sons.
3. I have no idea what's going on with Michelle right now.
4. After a certain point, the added weight no longer yields additional range.
5. BMW spared no expense.
no hard feelings
/nˈoʊ hˈɑːɹd fˈiːlɪŋz/
phraseused to tell a person that one does not want any resentment to remain between them after arguing with them or defeating them in a contest
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Examples
1. But no hard feelings, Both Mitchell and Simmons agreed the hoodie was all in good fun.
2. This time there were no hard feelings.
3. And in recent interviews Bailey says he has no hard feelings.
4. One is "No hard feelings."
5. We had no hard feelings.
to be not having any (of it / of that / )
/biː nˌɑːt hˈævɪŋ ˌɛni ʌv ɪt ʌv ðæt/
phraseto be completely unwilling to do something
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Examples
1. She'd been diagnosed early on as having ADHD And was been given Ritalen to address this And from what we could see in school, It wasn't having any great affect on her behaviour.
2. You're not having any babies.
3. The Platos and Aristotles of the world weren't having any of that.
4. The Platos and Aristotles of the world weren't having any of that.
5. Maybe this will just become normal because lord knows, Apple is not having any difficulty selling the things.
not likely
/nˌɑːt lˈaɪkli/
interjectionused to express strong disagreement with a suggestion or statement
Examples
to object
/ˈɑbdʒɛkt/, /əbˈdʒɛkt/
verbto express opposition, disagreement, or disapproval
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Examples
1. Slamming objects on tables.
2. Powerful telescopes, like the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer, Herschel and Keck Observatory have photographed objects very far away.
3. Now, objects reflect light in all directions.
4. Object matrimony.
5. Object becomes separate.
OK
/ˈoʊˈkeɪ/
interjectionsaid to stop people from criticizing or arguing with one
Examples
1. Ok, one hundred cents makes one dollar.
2. OK, so the first part of the chapters create this problem.
3. Ok so, all typical vertebrae have a vertebral body, a vertebral arch and seven individual processes.
4. OK you guys have a great week
5. Ok, and when you're not?
opponent
/əˈpoʊnənt/
nounsomeone who disagrees with a system, plan, etc. and intends to put an end to it or change it
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Examples
1. But opponents had a convincing arguments.
2. Opponents heard a dangerous voice with fascist ideas.
3. Oh, opponent found!
4. Some cards damage your opponent.
5. Your opponent will most likely pick Scissors!
to oppose
/əˈpoʊz/
verbto strongly disagree with a policy, plan, idea, etc. and try to put an end to it
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Examples
1. Jackson thought that the Bank would use its money to oppose his reelection in 1836, so he vetoed that bill.
2. So in history books and history of technology, people usually oppose trial and error versus theoretical knowledge.
3. Chicago's mayor at the time, Richard J. Daley, opposed neighborhood integration.
4. So on the bottom of the ball, the airflow further out opposes the motion of the spinning ball.
5. The majority of the public opposes animal testing.
opposed
/əˈpoʊzd/
adjectivetrying to stop something because one strongly disagrees with it
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Examples
1. The countess, however, was vehemently opposed.
2. And these people were adamantly opposed to it.
3. After all, the interests of the king and his great subjects were not opposed.
4. The disciples were opposed.
5. Most legal academics are bitterly opposed to direct democracy.
opposition
/ˌɑpəˈzɪʃən/
nounsharp disagreement with a system, law, plan, etc.
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Examples
1. When it came to the opposition, where was the loudest, most vociferous opposition coming from to this?
2. When it came to the opposition, where was the loudest, most vociferous opposition coming from to this?
3. In India, opposition parties boycotted the opening of Parliament's budget session.
4. But opposition remained.
5. Every spiritual teacher and spiritual leader throughout history has had extreme opposition.
oppositional
/ˌɑːpəzˈɪʃənəl/
adjectiveexpressing strong disagreement
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Examples
1. In U.S. culture, humans and nature are another oppositional dualism.
2. It is any oppositional force.
3. It is any oppositional force.
4. The various negative manifestations of the ego are the oppositional force of the Kundalini.
5. Resistance is any oppositional force.
out of hand
/ˌaʊɾəv hˈænd/
phrasewithout consideration and hesitation
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Examples
1. Things just kinda got out of hand.
2. Things got out of hand.
3. The class got out of hand.
4. The court dismissed this theory out of hand.
5. Things got out of hand.
out of sympathy with
/ˌaʊɾəv sˈɪmpəθi wɪð/
phrasein disagreement with
Examples
out of sync
/ˌaʊɾəv sˈɪŋk/
phrasein disagreement; not working well with
Examples