adversary

1 of 2

noun

ad·​ver·​sary ˈad-vər-ˌser-ē 

ˈad-və-,

-ˌse-rē

plural adversaries

: one that contends with, opposes, or resists : an enemy or opponent

a clever adversary

adversariness noun

adversary

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or involving an enemy or adversary

2

: having or involving antagonistic parties or opposing interests

Divorce can be an adversary proceeding.

Did you know?

If you consider an opponent as someone with whom one goes toe-to-toe, head-to-head, or even mano a mano, it may help you remember the meaning of adversary, a more formal synonym of opponent. Adversary comes from the Latin verb advertere, meaning “to turn or direct toward,” which makes sense; even if two adversaries are not literally face-to-face, their goals and aims are usually in direct conflict with (i.e., turned or directed toward) one another. The vertere part of advertere means “to turn,” and is the source of a number of English words, including some that are obvious, such as inadvertent and adverse, and others that are less so, like anniversary and vertebra.

Synonyms

Noun

• antagonist
• enemy
• foe
• hostile
• opponent

Adjective

• adversarial
• antagonistic
• antipathetic
• hostile
• inhospitable
• inimical
• jaundiced
• mortal
• negative
• unfriendly
• unsympathetic

Examples of adversary in a Sentence

Noun

He's a very smart criminal who pushes emotional buttons to get what he wants. He's quite a worthy adversary for Mac and the team. —TV Guide, 2-8 June 2008

American diplomacy after World War II exemplified the soundness of this principle. We put our power at the disposal of all who cherished freedom and peace. We did things for others they couldn't do for themselves. We defended others, yes, but we also forgave our former enemies and helped reconcile old adversaries, such as France and Germany. —Colin L. Powell, Wilson Quarterly, Summer 2004

Nike's adversary was an amorphous group of disgruntled consumers connected by a decentralized network of e-mail addresses. Although the press has presented my battle with Nike as a David versus Goliath parable, the real story is the battle between a company like Nike, with access to the mass media, and a network of citizens on the Internet … —Jonah Peretti, Nation, 9 Apr. 2001

Not perfected until the eve of World War I, this small boat cruised on the surface with a diesel engine that also charged the batteries that powered the submarine's electric motors for submerged operation. If it spotted an adversary, the submarine would dive, either to escape or attack. —Archer Jones, Elements of Military Strategy, 1996

His political adversaries tried to prevent him from winning the nomination.

our old cat seemed to consider the new kitten an adversary

Adjective

The quest for air superiority would come to include strikes on adversary airfields, but only as part of a larger effort also involving such staples as defensive fighter interception, offensive air sweeps, and escort missions with bombers designed to draw enemy fighters into battle. —John Prados, MHQ : The Quarterly Journal of Military History, Spring 1996

Critics of military justice complain that it is not a true adversary system because the JAG has authority over judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys and controls the funds of each. —Fred Strasser, National Law Journal, 4 Mar. 1991

there was a long history of adversary dealings between the two nations

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And, just as significantly, this argument de-emphasizes the possibility of collaborating with adversaries on limiting military AI systems, favoring arms race over arms control. —Nir Eisikovits, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024

But since last year, the Biden administration has taken steps to improve communication and cooperation with Beijing, which is one of Washington’s largest trading partners but is also seen as its main long-term strategic adversary. —Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024

Adjective

Such sensitive information, along with financial information and private messages, is helpful for adversary intelligence agencies to use as leverage for blackmail or coercion. —Dan Morse, Alex Horton, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Sep. 2022

At the same time, Trump's tirades against trade deals with nations like China played into a belief among many people that such pacts had hollowed out the American dream, while building middle classes lives for citizens of adversary nations. —Stephen Collinson, CNN, 28 Sep. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Middle English adversaire, adversarie, borrowed from Anglo-French adverser, adverserie, borrowed from Latin adversārius, noun derivative from adversārius "opposed (to), inimical, adverse," from adversus "turned toward, facing" + -ārius -ary entry 2 — more at adverse

Adjective

earlier, "opposed, antagonistic," going back to Middle English adversarie, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin adversārius — more at adversary entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

adversary

1 of 2 noun

ad·​ver·​sary ˈad-və(r)-ˌser-ē 

plural adversaries

: someone or something that struggles with, opposes, or resists : enemy, opponent

adversary

2 of 2 adjective

: involving two persons or two sides who oppose each other

our adversary system of justice

Legal Definition

adversary

1 of 2 noun

ad·​ver·​sary ˈad-vər-ˌser-ē 

: one that contends with or opposes another

especially : any of the opposing parties in a legal action

adversary

2 of 2 adjective

: of, relating to, or involving opposing parties or interests

specifically : of, relating to, or involving a system of justice in which opposing parties usually represented by counsel present evidence to an impartial decision-maker (as a jury) by a process of questioning witnesses under the supervision of a judge compare accusatorial, inquisitorial