inverse

1 of 2

adjective

in·​verse (ˌ)in-ˈvərs 

ˈin-ˌvərs

1

: opposite in order, nature, or effect

2

: being an inverse function

inverse sine

inverse

2 of 2

noun

1

: something of a contrary nature or quality : opposite, reverse

2

: a proposition or theorem formed by contradicting both the subject and predicate or both the hypothesis and conclusion of a given proposition or theorem

the inverse of "if A then B" is "if not-A then not-B"

compare contrapositive

3

a

: inverse function

also : an operation (such as subtraction) that undoes the effect of another operation

b

: a set element that is related to another element in such a way that the result of applying a given binary operation to them is an identity element of the set

Examples of inverse in a Sentence

Adjective

Addition and subtraction are inverse operations.

Noun

the inverse of your argument

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Capacity ends up being allocated in a roughly inverse proportion to health, and health has nothing to do with importance. — Manas Chaudhari, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

On the daily chart, MOO has formed an imperfect but recognizable inverse head-and-shoulders pattern and decisively broken through resistance around $86-$87. — Jay Woods, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026

Noun

My daughter, Sophie Rottenberg, had a short and baffling health crisis that might have been a mental illness borne of hormonal dysregulation, or the inverse. — Laura Reiley, Vanity Fair, 9 Oct. 2026

His ego is in exact inverse proportion to Ilya’s, which is part of what makes Garfield and Borisov play so beautifully off each other. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, turned upside down, from Latin inversus, from past participle of invertere

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing inverse

• additive inverse
• inverse function
• inverse square law
• inverse variation
• multiplicative inverse

Rhymes for inverse

• adverse
• averse
• coerce
• disburse
• disperse
• diverse
• immerse
• obverse
• perverse
• rehearse
• reverse
• transverse

Kids Definition

inverse

1 of 2 adjective

in·​verse (ˈ)in-ˈvərs 

ˈin-vərs

1

: opposite in order, nature, or effect

an inverse relationship between interest rates and houses sold

2

: being a mathematical operation opposite in effect to another

addition and subtraction are inverse operations

inverse

2 of 2 noun

in·​verse

ˈin-ˌvərs, 

(ˈ)in-ˈvərs

: something inverse or resulting in or from inversion