adversarial
adjective
ad·ver·sar·i·al
ˌad-vər-ˈser-ē-əl 
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
In the latest salvo, the House Foreign Affairs Committee advanced legislation that would allow Congress 30 days to review and block sales of advanced chips to adversarial countries — similar to the power Congress has with arms and weapons sales.
—
Emily Wilkins, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
In a country finally moving toward a less adversarial approach to its land, the fence is increasingly controversial; the remnant of an era when Australia would rather go to war with its wildlife than try to live alongside it.
—Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 25 Feb. 2026
Consistently adversarial to power; never seduced into the club; consistently going after the highest powers (the president, for instance) over and over.
—Lesley Stahl, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026
Right now, the board and the assessor, Fritz Kaegi, have an adversarial relationship.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adversarial
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Emily Wilkins, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
In a country finally moving toward a less adversarial approach to its land, the fence is increasingly controversial; the remnant of an era when Australia would rather go to war with its wildlife than try to live alongside it.
—Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 25 Feb. 2026
Consistently adversarial to power; never seduced into the club; consistently going after the highest powers (the president, for instance) over and over.
—Lesley Stahl, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026
Right now, the board and the assessor, Fritz Kaegi, have an adversarial relationship.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adversarial
Cite this Entry
“Adversarial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adversarial. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
: of, relating to, or characteristic of an adversary or adversary procedures : adversary
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