Synonyms of adversarial

adversarial

adjective

ˌad-vər-ˈser-ē-əl 

as in hostile

marked by opposition or ill will

the relationship between the president and the congress should not be adversarial if anything is to get done

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hostile
• negative
• antagonistic
• adverse
• contentious
• adversary
• conflicting
• opposed
• unfavorable
• unfriendly
• inimical
• inhospitable
• antipathetic
• unpleasant
• unsympathetic
• jaundiced
• combative
• militant
• mortal
• belligerent
• malicious
• bellicose
• contrary
• icy
• pugnacious
• quarrelsome
• argumentative
• resisting
• frigid
• antisocial
• clashing
• truculent
• disputatious
• distant
• disagreeable
• biased
• bitter
• rude
• acrimonious
• vindictive
• cold
• scrappy
• disapproving
• hateful
• prejudiced
• spiteful
• malignant
• discourteous
• uncivil
• unkind
• malevolent
• virulent
• rancorous
• unsociable
• malign
• impolite
• unmannerly
• surly
• inconsiderate
• unloving
• cool
• impertinent
• opprobrious
• ill-mannered
• despiteful
• ill-bred

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sympathetic
• civil
• friendly
• social
• hospitable
• cordial
• amiable
• pleasant
• warm
• amicable
• convivial
• neighborly
• genial
• affable
• gracious
• sociable
• nonhostile
• companionable
• gregarious
• kind
• loving
• affectionate
• sweet
• good-natured
• nonantagonistic
• favorable
• comradely
• benign
• devoted
• nice
• kindly
• agreeable
• accepting
• empathetic
• good-tempered
• understanding
• welcoming
• approving
• warmhearted

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of adversarial

Ironically, Weckert used AI to design the pattern, using a kind of trial and error called an adversarial loop. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 26 Aug. 2026

Organizations must extend hygiene to AI systems by securing training data, confirming model integrity, safeguarding prompts and outputs, preventing model poisoning and adversarial attacks, and controlling how AI accesses company data. — Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

For decades, Washington relied on deterrence to counter the possibility of adversarial biological attacks—but, notably, not by threatening biological attacks of its own. — Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Previous Tyson Group polling cited in the memo found 72% of Americans supported government guardrails on AI, while 63% were concerned that adversarial countries such as China were developing the technology faster than the United States. — Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 13 Aug. 2026