Meaning & use
opposing muscles
Last updated
Meaning
nounpluraltechnicalbiology
A pair of muscles that work against each other to move a joint in opposite directions.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun; a single member is called an opposing muscle or an antagonist.
Patterns
- the opposing muscles of a joint
- work as opposing muscles
The biceps and triceps are opposing muscles: when one contracts, the other relaxes.
Physical therapists test opposing muscles to check for balance around the knee.
In the arm, opposing muscles allow you to both bend and straighten the elbow.
Common combinations
- opposing muscles contract
- When opposing muscles contract at the same time, the joint becomes stiff.
- a pair of opposing muscles
- The hip is controlled by several pairs of opposing muscles.
- balance between opposing muscles
- Injuries often result from an imbalance between opposing muscles.
- opposing muscle groups
- Athletes train opposing muscle groups to prevent injury.
Synonyms and how they differ
- antagonistic muscles
- The more technical term used in physiology; it means the same thing but sounds more scientific.
- antagonists
- A short specialist term for the muscles in such a pair; it is not used in everyday speech.
Word family
- oppose verb
- To work against or resist something.
- opposition noun
- The act of resisting or working against something.
Commonly confused: opposing muscles or opposable?
opposing muscles vs opposable
Opposable describes a thumb that can touch the other fingers, not muscles that work against each other.
Practice
The biceps and triceps are called opposing muscles because they ______.
Choose one answer.
Opposing muscles work against each other to move a joint in opposite directions, like bending and straightening the elbow. They are not simply on opposite sides of the body, and they do not usually contract together.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “opposing muscles”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.