adversary

[ad-ver-ser-ee]

noun

plural

adversaries 

1. a person, group, or force that opposes or attacks; opponent; enemy; foe.

   Antonyms: ally

2. a person, group, etc., that is an opponent in a contest; contestant.

3. the Adversary, the devil; Satan.

adjective

1. of or relating to an adversary.

2. involving adversaries, as plaintiff and defendant in a legal proceeding.

   an adversary trial.

adversary

/ ˈædvəsərɪ /

noun

1. a person or group that is hostile to someone; enemy

2. an opposing contestant in a game or sport

adjective

1. the US term for adversarial

Other Word Forms

• adversariness noun
• nonadversarial adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of adversary¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English adversarie, from Latin adversārius; equivalent to adverse + -ary; replacing Middle English adversere, from Anglo-French

Word History and Origins

Origin of adversary¹

C14: from Latin adversārius, from adversus against. See _adverse

Synonym Study

Adversary, antagonist mean a person or a group contending against another. Adversary suggests an enemy who fights determinedly, continuously, and relentlessly: a formidable adversary. Antagonist suggests one who, in hostile spirit, opposes another, often in a particular contest or struggle: a duel with an antagonist.

Example Sentences

Weakness invites trouble, and one lesson from Ukraine’s drone war is that adversaries can throw large numbers of drones at a target, and intercepting all of them is difficult.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The question isn’t whether adversaries will continue exploiting AI for offensive operations.

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Some Ukrainian officials have cited as a model the powerful military built by Israel as a deterrent to its adversaries.

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Department of Defense is working to reduce reliance on foreign adversaries, with a deal including an equity stake and price floor for MP Materials.

Read more on Barron's

Mao Zedong once said that China must wield both the pen and the gun against its adversaries.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• antagonist 
• attacker www.thesaurus.com
• competitor 
• enemy 
• foe 
• opponent 
• rival