versus

preposition

ver·​sus ˈvər-səs  -səz 

1

: against

2

: in contrast to or as the alternative of

free trade versus protection

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Abbreviating Versus

In a number of areas the English language is possessed of an embarrassment of riches, with multiple synonyms or abbreviations for a word. One such case is versus, which is often written in a shortened form. You may choose between vs, vs., and v. Take care, when writing the word out in full, that you distinguish between versus (a preposition meaning “against”) and verses (“lines of metrical writing”).

Examples of versus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Higher rates tend to increase the relative appeal of yielding assets such as government bonds versus non-yielding precious metals like gold. —Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026

For example, most of the country will get the Red Sox at Yankees on June 6, but select audiences in the Midwest and South will get the Cleveland Guardians versus the Texas Rangers instead. —Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026

Comparing drugstore versus high-end bronzers, Spickard says the primary difference lies in blendability. —Lily Wohlner, Allure, 11 Mar. 2026

Given these two chips' MSRPs, $299 for the Core Ultra 7 270K versus $589 for the Core Ultra 9 285K, the Ultra 7 270K Plus comes off as the all-around better option, assuming at least near-parity in performance. —Michael Justin Allen Sexton, PC Magazine, 11 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin, towards, against, from Latin, adverb, so as to face, from past participle of vertere to turn

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for versus

• cursus
• ursus
• excursus
• transversus

Kids Definition

versus

preposition

ver·​sus ˈvər-səs  -səz 

1

: against sense 1a

the champion versus the challenger

2

: in contrast to or as the alternative of

the tastiness of store-bought versus homemade cookies