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

Surgeons typically charge a 30-50% premium for Preservé versus traditional augmentation. — Emma Sandler, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Nighttime skincare routines are having a moment on social media, and readers are asking which bedtime habits actually help versus which ones could be doing damage. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2026

And those exceptions deal with situations where the elements of the crimes, the elements of federal stalking versus the elements of the state murder charge, are substantially different. — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026

From the recent market bottom on July 29, Nvidia shares are up about 18%, versus the iShares Semiconductor ETF's 2% advance and the VanEck Semiconductor ETF's almost 18% advance. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 17 Aug. 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