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

As cellphones have cultivated a certain sense of isolation and observing memorable moments on social media versus actually having them, the luxury sector’s interest in experiences may heighten. —Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 17 Oct. 2025

This includes a customizable home screen that can display time, temperature, weather, humidity, outdoor air quality, and more (versus a static screen), and energy-saving implementations that can either run automatically or require you to opt-in through the Google Home app. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2025

Those three touchdown passes helped Flacco tie Brady's 30 all-time touchdowns thrown against the Steelers, which ranks as the most thrown by a quarterback all-time versus Pittsburgh. —Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025

Anyone who suggests Guardiola’s title-winning Manchester City teams were boring should be forced to watch 90 minutes of Mourinho’s Chelsea versus Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool in the mid-2000s and report back. —Oliver Kay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025

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