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
In the years since, the high court has reiterated its belief that an adversarial press is essential to democracy.
—
Amy Kristin Sanders, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2025
The move, however, has drawn criticism from legal experts and some members of Congress, who warn it could blur the line between law enforcement and war — and risk deeper confrontation with adversarial regimes in the hemisphere.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
This kind of adversarial process—something between a court case and scientific peer review—has a good track record of producing high-quality regulations.
—Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
But how adversarial did things seem with Charli?
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adversarial
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Amy Kristin Sanders, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2025
The move, however, has drawn criticism from legal experts and some members of Congress, who warn it could blur the line between law enforcement and war — and risk deeper confrontation with adversarial regimes in the hemisphere.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
This kind of adversarial process—something between a court case and scientific peer review—has a good track record of producing high-quality regulations.
—Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
But how adversarial did things seem with Charli?
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 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 21 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
adversarial
adjective
ad·ver·sar·i·al
ˌad-vər-ˈser-ē-əl
: of, relating to, or characteristic of an adversary or adversary procedures : adversary
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share