adversarial
adjective
ad·ver·sar·i·al
ˌad-vər-ˈser-ē-əl 
ˌad-və-,
-ˈse-rē-
: involving two people or two sides who oppose each other : of, relating to, or characteristic of an adversary or adversary procedures (see adversary entry 2 sense 2)
an adversarial relationship
an adversarial system of justice with prosecution and defense opposing each other
Examples of adversarial in a Sentence
an adversarial system of justice with prosecution and defense opposing each other
the relationship between the president and the congress should not be adversarial if anything is to get done
Recent Examples on the Web
Both camps have essential roles to play, and these roles seem complementary rather than adversarial.
—
Lieke Ten Brummelhuis, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Like most political arguments, each stakeholder adopts a resolute adversarial position that disallows finding common ground.
—Harvey Levine, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 June 2025
But school officials across the country worry that making lawsuits easier to win will create a more adversarial relationship between parents and schools in the difficult negotiations needed to balance a student’s needs with a school’s limited resources.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 13 June 2025
Broward schools chief auditor offers to separate from district
Several School Board members said Chief Auditor Dave Rhodes maintains an adversarial relationship with district administrators who face audits and fails to provide them with adequate training.
—South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for adversarial
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Lieke Ten Brummelhuis, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Like most political arguments, each stakeholder adopts a resolute adversarial position that disallows finding common ground.
—Harvey Levine, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 June 2025
But school officials across the country worry that making lawsuits easier to win will create a more adversarial relationship between parents and schools in the difficult negotiations needed to balance a student’s needs with a school’s limited resources.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 13 June 2025
Broward schools chief auditor offers to separate from district
Several School Board members said Chief Auditor Dave Rhodes maintains an adversarial relationship with district administrators who face audits and fails to provide them with adequate training.
—South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for adversarial
Cite this Entry
“Adversarial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adversarial. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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adversarial
adjective
ad·ver·sar·i·al
ˌad-vər-ˈser-ē-əl
: of, relating to, or characteristic of an adversary or adversary procedures : adversary
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