adversarial

adjective

ad·​ver·​sar·​i·​al ˌad-vər-ˈser-ē-əl How to pronounce adversarial (audio)
ˌad-və-,
-ˈse-rē-
: involving two people or two sides who oppose each other : of, relating to, or characteristic of an adversary or adversary procedures (see adversary entry 2 sense 2)
an adversarial relationship
an adversarial system of justice with prosecution and defense opposing each other

Examples of adversarial in a Sentence

an adversarial system of justice with prosecution and defense opposing each other the relationship between the president and the congress should not be adversarial if anything is to get done
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.
Sub-second block intervals demand tighter synchronization across the network, and the protocol’s behavior under sustained high-load, adversarial conditions remains largely untested. Tomer Niv, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025 The risks presented by adversarial capital and the siloing of information are just two opportunities for the kind of public-private collaboration that could protect our biotech industry. Eric Schmidt, Time, 29 May 2025 On the other side is Turkey, which in recent years has adopted an increasingly adversarial stance toward Israel, and which this week signed a security alliance with Syria and Jordan. Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2025 Recognizing the United States’ vulnerability to a rising and adversarial China, during his first term, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders to secure greater resilience across mining exploration, extraction, refining, production, and recycling. Heidi Crebo-Rediker, Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for adversarial

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of adversarial was in 1839

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Adversarial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adversarial. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

adversarial

adjective
ad·​ver·​sar·​i·​al
ˌad-vər-ˈser-ē-əl
: involving two people or two sides who oppose each other

Legal Definition

adversarial

adjective
ad·​ver·​sar·​i·​al ˌad-vər-ˈser-ē-əl How to pronounce adversarial (audio)
: of, relating to, or characteristic of an adversary or adversary procedures : adversary

More from Merriam-Webster on adversarial

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!