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
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Recent Examples of adversarial
These adversarial tests reveal vulnerabilities that can then be corrected through additional training or safety controls.
—
Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
But the military will tie them all together with an integrated command-and-control system that can sense an adversarial missile launch, plot its trajectory, and then generate a targeting solution and send it to an interceptor on the ground or in space to eliminate the threat.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 23 July 2025
Additionally, Levin also noted that Trump’s more adversarial approach to the EU may complicate the bloc’s ability to counter China.
—Sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 23 July 2025
Numerous media companies have bowed to Trump or appeared to soften their adversarial stance.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for adversarial
Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
But the military will tie them all together with an integrated command-and-control system that can sense an adversarial missile launch, plot its trajectory, and then generate a targeting solution and send it to an interceptor on the ground or in space to eliminate the threat.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 23 July 2025
Additionally, Levin also noted that Trump’s more adversarial approach to the EU may complicate the bloc’s ability to counter China.
—Sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 23 July 2025
Numerous media companies have bowed to Trump or appeared to soften their adversarial stance.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for adversarial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adversarial
Adjective
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In recent weeks, both have also moved military forces to the border near Assab and are engaging in escalating exchanges of hostile rhetoric.—
Mulugeta Gebrehiwot Berhe,
Foreign Affairs,
5 Aug. 2025
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Meanwhile, Trump has moved closer to Pakistan, with which India has hostile relations and the U.S. has historically had a complex and sometimes tense relationship, especially as Pakistan has grown closer to and is primarily armed by China.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Fewer visitors translate to less visitor spending, and in turn to lower tax revenue and job losses in the tourism industry, sending a negative ripple effect throughout the national economy.—
Suzanne Rowan Kelleher,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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The negative consequences of this content go well beyond the individuals misquoted.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Adversarial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adversarial. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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