oppositional
Loading your saved state.
oppositional
Relating to the political opposition; belonging to an oppositional stance or group. It describes a rejecting or critical attitude toward the government or a prevailing opinion.
Die oppositionellen Abgeordneten stimmten gegen den Gesetzentwurf der Regierung.
The oppositional members of parliament voted against the government's bill.
The adjective 'oppositionell' (oppositional) is derived directly from the noun 'die Opposition' (the opposition). The ending '-ell' is a typical way to form adjectives from nouns. If you understand 'Opposition' (opposition), you can easily work out the meaning of 'oppositionell' (oppositional).
Die Opposition ist gegen den Plan, und auch die oppositionellen Medien berichten kritisch.
The opposition is against the plan, and the oppositional media are also reporting critically.
You can tell from the context whether the political or the general meaning is intended. Words like 'Partei' (party), 'Regierung' (government), or 'Abgeordnete' (members of parliament) point to politics. Words like 'Haltung' (attitude), 'Verhalten' (behavior), or 'Geist' (spirit) point to a generally contradictory attitude.
Die oppositionelle Partei stimmte gegen das Gesetz.
The oppositional party voted against the law.
In a political context, 'oppositionell' (oppositional) is often combined with nouns such as 'Partei' (party), 'Fraktion' (parliamentary group), 'Kräfte' (forces), or 'Bewegung' (movement).
Die oppositionelle Fraktion im Parlament hat einen eigenen Vorschlag eingebracht.
The oppositional parliamentary group introduced its own proposal in parliament.
critical
'kritisch' and 'oppositionell' can both express a rejecting or examining attitude. But 'kritisch' is broader: you examine something closely, see problems, or express objections. This can be objective and does not have to be directed against a specific group. 'oppositionell' more strongly means that someone stands against a government, leadership, or prevailing opinion. The word fits especially in political contexts. They can be confused because an oppositional person is often also critical. But not every critical person is automatically oppositional.
Nach der Wahl schlossen sich mehrere oppositionelle Gruppen zusammen.
After the election, several oppositional groups joined together.
Wir prüfen den neuen Plan kritisch, bevor wir zustimmen.
We are examining the new plan critically before we agree.