adverse

adjective

ad-ˈvərs How to pronounce adverse (audio)
Definition of adversenext
1
as in unfavorable
opposed to one's interests all the adverse publicity really caused the movie star's popularity to suffer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in detrimental
causing or capable of causing harm the adverse effects of the drug are too severe to allow it to be marketed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of adverse Applying sunscreen before heading outdoors and reapplying every few hours will keep your skin free of sunburn and protected from other adverse effects of too much exposure. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 29 June 2026 Side Effects of Wegovy HD The most common adverse reactions reported with Wegovy HD were gastrointestinal, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain. — Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 29 June 2026 France’s match against Iraq was the first game of the tournament to be delayed due to adverse weather. — Tom Burrows, New York Times, 27 June 2026 Peach trees need moist soil but are susceptible to fungal disease, so not waiting long enough for the soil to dry out can cause drooping leaves, slow growth, and other adverse reactions. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for adverse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adverse
  1. unfavorable
  2. detrimental
  3. negative
  4. harmful
  5. hostile
  6. damaging
  7. dangerous
  8. bad
Adjective
  • As exciting as this match at the home of baseball’s New York Mets is likely to be, the players will be met with unfavorable weather conditions.
    — Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 15 July 2026
  • In April, Pew found that Republicans with a negative view of Israel ticked up since last year, with 57% of young Republicans having an unfavorable view of Israel compared with 50% a year ago.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 14 July 2026
Definition of unfavorable
Adjective
  • Dauvin warns that piling obligations onto streamers could be detrimental to the French film and television landscape.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 6 July 2026
  • Salted pasta water can be detrimental to soil and plant health, and even unsalted water can promote the growth of unwanted fungi.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 July 2026
Definition of detrimental
Adjective
  • In contrast, Trump made at least 17 purchases of eight companies’ stock and then posted negative messages about the firms or their executives shortly afterward.
    — Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • In this case, the vague nature of terms like DEI and CRT can have an even steeper negative impact on classrooms by creating uncertainty among faculty.
    — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 16 July 2026
Definition of negative
Adjective
  • The as-yet-untitled series will follow the story of multiple families and campaigners including Ellen Roome, who believes that the tragic death of her beloved 14-year-old son Julian ‘Jools’ Sweeney could have been linked to harmful social media.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 15 July 2026
  • And planting near any street could expose trees to harmful salt spray when roads are treated in the winter.
    — Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026
Definition of harmful
Adjective
  • The recruits will be deployed in Malaysia and tested in the hostile jungle environment.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • Ibiza is hostile to new club owners, and Ushuaïa faced the usual onslaught.
    — Max Marshall, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026
Definition of hostile
Adjective
  • The inmate claimed that he was told Kelly and his attorneys were planning to expose damaging information, as the filing alleged that officials violated attorney-client privilege by intercepting personal correspondence.
    — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • Ultimately, Moraff and Fan deemed the issue politically damaging and moved on from Williams to Platner — who was already the subject of a 2024 Facebook post warning women not to get involved with him.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of damaging
Adjective
  • Teri handled higher-value finds and saw that potentially dangerous items – like firearms and knives – got to the local sheriff’s office.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Looking back through the sequence, Brazil have good numbers back and there is little need for anyone to overcommit — but a lazy tackle from behind leads to a free kick in a dangerous area.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of dangerous
Adjective
  • Shouldn’t Tamra take that as a sign to repair her relationships with the women rather than alienate the one person who is willing to look past her bad behavior?
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • That statistic shows that hotels did worse with the World Cup than without it initially.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
Definition of bad

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adversary
adverse
adversely
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Cite this Entry

“Adverse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adverse. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of adverse for Spanish Speakers

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