opposable
adjective
op·pos·able
ə-ˈpō-zə-bəl 
1
: capable of being opposed or resisted
2
: capable of being placed against one or more of the remaining digits of a hand or foot
the opposable human thumb
Examples of opposable in a Sentence
Humans have an opposable thumb.
Recent Examples on the Web
Thumb opposition isn’t unique to humans, and in fact an opposable thumb facilitates the enhanced grasping abilities of many primates.
—
Sabrina Sholts, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024
Its wide eyes and opposable thumbs help the pygmy slow loris move around the forest in the night, searching for tasty insects.
—USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024
The ability to occlude the thumb is the key to the magic trick, so the thumb must be opposable.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 4 Apr. 2023
Although the gesture is familiar to biscotti lovers with opposable thumbs, for the Goffin’s cockatoo, the behavior appears to be an innovation in food preparation, researchers reported in a study published Tuesday in the journal Biology Letters.
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2023
There was also a picnic, educational meetings and various games - including tug of war open to anyone with opposable thumbs.
—Sydney Page, Anchorage Daily News, 19 July 2023
Advertisement There was also a picnic, educational meetings and various games — including tug of war open to anyone with opposable thumbs.
—Sydney Page, Washington Post, 19 July 2023
This, combined with powerful air-con and an increasingly rare scenario where guests can black out the room using wall switches and opposable thumbs, rather than an iPad interface straight from a NASA Mission Control Center, makes a restorative night’s sleep a given.
—Nick Scott, Robb Report, 11 July 2023
Who needs an opposable thumb, anyway? Environment Science SHARE Unlike most primates, elephants will happily munch on a banana without removing its peel.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 Apr. 2023
Sabrina Sholts, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024
Its wide eyes and opposable thumbs help the pygmy slow loris move around the forest in the night, searching for tasty insects.
—USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024
The ability to occlude the thumb is the key to the magic trick, so the thumb must be opposable.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 4 Apr. 2023
Although the gesture is familiar to biscotti lovers with opposable thumbs, for the Goffin’s cockatoo, the behavior appears to be an innovation in food preparation, researchers reported in a study published Tuesday in the journal Biology Letters.
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2023
There was also a picnic, educational meetings and various games - including tug of war open to anyone with opposable thumbs.
—Sydney Page, Anchorage Daily News, 19 July 2023
Advertisement There was also a picnic, educational meetings and various games — including tug of war open to anyone with opposable thumbs.
—Sydney Page, Washington Post, 19 July 2023
This, combined with powerful air-con and an increasingly rare scenario where guests can black out the room using wall switches and opposable thumbs, rather than an iPad interface straight from a NASA Mission Control Center, makes a restorative night’s sleep a given.
—Nick Scott, Robb Report, 11 July 2023
Who needs an opposable thumb, anyway? Environment Science SHARE Unlike most primates, elephants will happily munch on a banana without removing its peel.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 Apr. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'opposable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near opposable
Cite this Entry
“Opposable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opposable. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
opposable
adjective
op·pos·able
ə-ˈpō-zə-bəl
: capable of being placed against one or more of the remaining digits of a hand or foot
the opposable human thumb
Medical Definition
opposable
adjective
op·pos·able
ə-ˈpō-zə-bəl
: capable of being placed against one or more of the remaining digits of a hand or foot
an opposable thumb
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