Trivia Time

In the famous epic poem, who is the adversary of Odysseus?

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adversary

American  

[ad-ver-ser-ee] / ˈæd vərˌsɛr i /

noun

• adversaries
  plural

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.

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adjective

1. of or relating to an adversary.

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

   an adversary trial.

adversary British  

/ ˈædvəsərɪ /

noun

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

2. an opposing contestant in a game or sport

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adjective

1. the US term for adversarial

Synonym Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• adversariness
  noun
• adversarial
  adjective
• nonadversarial
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• adversaries
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of adversary

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

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Explanation

An adversary is an enemy or someone who opposes someone else. In tennis, you stand across the net from your adversary. Adversary is related to the word adverse, meaning "against or contrary" — so think of an adversary as someone whom you are fighting against. If you're the undefeated chess champion, you have bested every single one of your adversaries. Adversary is derived from a Latin word meaning "against."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

adversary adversaries

Hybrid warfare or hybrid attacks are loose terms that tend to describe non-military methods, for example cyber-attacks, sabotage or misinformation, designed to exert pressure and destabilise an adversary.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

The pilot said that he and another aircraft were providing adversary and tactical training for U.S. military aircrews, according to the report.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

We are increasing readiness against existing threats, and the United States has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

"The US has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action," a US Space Force spokesperson said in a statement that did not provide specifics on the weapons.

From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026

The cat uttered another banshee scream and stepped forward with a stiff-legged, sideways movement, his squinting, terrible eyes fixed on his enormous adversary.

From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford

The i Paper also leads with the spy chief's speech, quoting him as saying threats from foreign adversaries have quadrupled in a decade.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

Before he became Disney’s DIS 1.39%increase; up pointing triangle top lawyer, Horacio Gutiérrez faced powerful adversaries, defending Microsoft in its antitrust fights and taking on Apple while at Spotify.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

By forcing adversaries to burn through expensive interceptors, the incoming swarms can exhaust allied air defenses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

The RAF has been using a ground-based system for the past year, which a defence source said had already been used "to deter our adversaries".

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

Critics, scholars, and curators are not our adversaries.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

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Related Words

• antagonist
• attacker
• competitor
• enemy
• foe
• opponent
• rival

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