adversary

1 of 2

noun

ad·​ver·​sary ˈad-vər-ˌser-ē How to pronounce adversary (audio)
ˈad-və-,
-ˌse-rē
plural adversaries
: one that contends with, opposes, or resists : an enemy or opponent
a clever adversary
adversariness noun

adversary

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or involving an enemy or adversary
2
: having or involving antagonistic parties or opposing interests
Divorce can be an adversary proceeding.

Did you know?

Adversary comes from Latin advertere, meaning "to turn toward." The vertere of advertere means "to turn" and is the source of a number of English words. Along with obvious derivatives like inadvertent and adverse are some surprises, including anniversary, vertebra, and prose (this last coming by way of a Latin contraction of a form of the verb provertere, meaning "to turn forward").

Examples of adversary in a Sentence

Noun He's a very smart criminal who pushes emotional buttons to get what he wants. He's quite a worthy adversary for Mac and the team. TV Guide, 2-8 June 2008
American diplomacy after World War II exemplified the soundness of this principle. We put our power at the disposal of all who cherished freedom and peace. We did things for others they couldn't do for themselves. We defended others, yes, but we also forgave our former enemies and helped reconcile old adversaries, such as France and Germany. Colin L. Powell, Wilson Quarterly, Summer 2004
Nike's adversary was an amorphous group of disgruntled consumers connected by a decentralized network of e-mail addresses. Although the press has presented my battle with Nike as a David versus Goliath parable, the real story is the battle between a company like Nike, with access to the mass media, and a network of citizens on the Internet … Jonah Peretti, Nation, 9 Apr. 2001
Not perfected until the eve of World War I, this small boat cruised on the surface with a diesel engine that also charged the batteries that powered the submarine's electric motors for submerged operation. If it spotted an adversary, the submarine would dive, either to escape or attack. Archer Jones, Elements of Military Strategy, 1996
His political adversaries tried to prevent him from winning the nomination. our old cat seemed to consider the new kitten an adversary Adjective The quest for air superiority would come to include strikes on adversary airfields, but only as part of a larger effort also involving such staples as defensive fighter interception, offensive air sweeps, and escort missions with bombers designed to draw enemy fighters into battle. John Prados, MHQ : The Quarterly Journal of Military History, Spring 1996
Critics of military justice complain that it is not a true adversary system because the JAG has authority over judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys and controls the funds of each. Fred Strasser, National Law Journal, 4 Mar. 1991
there was a long history of adversary dealings between the two nations
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Although Finland continues to face Russian threat, in the show, the adversary remains mysterious. Marta Balaga, Variety, 28 Feb. 2024 Switzerland and Austria share avalanche risk management, while nearly the whole Maghreb—including bitter adversaries Morocco and Algeria—joined hands to claim custody of couscous. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, Downey, 58, who portrayed Lewis Strauss, chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and adversary of Oppenheimer, had been napping. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 The adversary, neighboring Russia, has three times the population, double the military budget and a president thoroughly committed to ending the war only on his own terms. John Bacon, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 The other leaders on the Council of Regents are uniting against him, chief among his adversaries being Ishido Kazunari (Takehiro Hira). Nick Romano, EW.com, 21 Feb. 2024 And in dealing with many adversaries, Trump will once again fall back on a strategy of kabuki competition—hot rhetoric and rising tensions, but without coherent policy or clear strategic purpose. Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2024 In a conflict, our adversaries aren’t going to forswear using all possible means to disrupt our military operations — indeed, the workings of our society itself — because of a principled opposition to waging war above Earth’s atmosphere. The Editors, National Review, 16 Feb. 2024 Getting these initiatives across the finish line would be a small victory, but peaceful competition with peer adversaries is defined by such triumphs. Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Such sensitive information, along with financial information and private messages, is helpful for adversary intelligence agencies to use as leverage for blackmail or coercion. Dan Morse, Alex Horton, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Sep. 2022 Kennedy shows similar backpedaling when discussing his complicated relationship with Derrick Bell, a former Harvard Law professor and pioneer of critical race theory, whom Kennedy considered a mentor, friend and — perhaps most notably — adversary. Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2021 Jarman faces the ultimate, inevitable adversary head on. The Economist, 23 May 2020 Kristen Wiig will star as famous Wonder Woman adversary Cheetah, while The Mandalorian‘s Pedro Pascal will play comic book villain Maxwell Lord. Nick Romano, EW.com, 9 Dec. 2019 In the story's boldest stroke of gallows humor, Joe and a fallen adversary croon softly together to a song on the radio, two souls improbably united by the strange, terrible intimacy of professional murder. Justin Chang, latimes.com, 5 Apr. 2018 At the same time, Trump's tirades against trade deals with nations like China played into a belief among many people that such pacts had hollowed out the American dream, while building middle classes lives for citizens of adversary nations. Stephen Collinson, CNN, 28 Sep. 2017 In oral arguments via telephone Tuesday, a panel of three appellate judges pressed both Purcell and adversary August Flentje, special counsel to the assistant U.S. attorney general, for additional evidence to back up their claims. Marisa Kendall, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2017 The measure would bar the Pentagon from buying satellite services if there is a threat that they could be compromised by cyber vulnerabilities or because they are launched by or contained parts from adversary nations. John M. Donnelly, The Seattle Times, 20 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'adversary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Middle English adversaire, adversarie, borrowed from Anglo-French adverser, adverserie, borrowed from Latin adversārius, noun derivative from adversārius "opposed (to), inimical, adverse," from adversus "turned toward, facing" + -ārius -ary entry 2 — more at adverse

Adjective

earlier, "opposed, antagonistic," going back to Middle English adversarie, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin adversārius — more at adversary entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of adversary was in the 14th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near adversary

Cite this Entry

“Adversary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adversary. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

adversary

1 of 2 noun
ad·​ver·​sary ˈad-və(r)-ˌser-ē How to pronounce adversary (audio)
plural adversaries
: someone or something that struggles with, opposes, or resists : enemy, opponent

adversary

2 of 2 adjective
: involving two persons or two sides who oppose each other
our adversary system of justice

Legal Definition

adversary

1 of 2 noun
ad·​ver·​sary ˈad-vər-ˌser-ē How to pronounce adversary (audio)
: one that contends with or opposes another
especially : any of the opposing parties in a legal action

adversary

2 of 2 adjective
: of, relating to, or involving opposing parties or interests
specifically : of, relating to, or involving a system of justice in which opposing parties usually represented by counsel present evidence to an impartial decision-maker (as a jury) by a process of questioning witnesses under the supervision of a judge compare accusatorial, inquisitorial

More from Merriam-Webster on adversary

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