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
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.
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
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
Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 9 May 2025
America’s adversaries want secrets and are good at uncovering them.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 8 May 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for adversary
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Noun
That doesn’t bode well for the thousands of American businesses that are currently paralyzed by Trump’s 145% tariffs on most imports from China, an adversary that’s not so charmed by the president’s 11th-hour shenanigans and is America’s third-largest trading partner.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 9 May 2025
America’s adversaries want secrets and are good at uncovering them.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 8 May 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for adversary
Cite this Entry
“Adversary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adversary. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
adversary
1 of 2 noun
ad·ver·sary
ˈad-və(r)-ˌser-ē
plural adversaries
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
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