adverse
adjective
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Adverse vs. Averse
Many people find themselves confused when faced with the choice between adverse and averse. While these two adjectives have many similarities, they are not used interchangeably.
If you want to describe a negative reaction to something (such as a harmful side effect from medication) or dangerous meteorological conditions (such as a snowstorm), adverse is the correct choice; you would not say that you had an averse reaction to medication or that there was averse weather.
Averse is most commonly followed by the preposition to (as in "she is averse to shellfish"), but not in every case; you can, for example, describe someone as “risk averse." Normally, averse to signifies a degree of dislike and avoidance, but when preceded by the word not (as in “he was not averse to having another drink”), it may be used as a pointedly understated way to express an interest in something.
In short, adverse tends to be used to describe effects, conditions, and results; while averse refers to feelings and inclinations.
Synonyms
- counter
- disadvantageous
- hostile
- inimical
- negative
- prejudicial
- unfavorable
- unfriendly
- unsympathetic
- untoward
Example Sentences
Lawyers Weekly USA, 4 Oct. 1999 On more than one occasion his decrees provoked riots, and there were those who voiced adverse opinions on the Duke in public. Alison Weir, The Princes in the Tower, 1992 The plant tolerates adverse conditions … Dave Dunn, Fine Gardening, January/February 1991 all the adverse publicity really caused the movie star's popularity to suffer the adverse effects of the drug are too severe to allow it to be marketed Ann Maloney, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2022 Nor shall the state penalize, prosecute, or otherwise take adverse action against someone for aiding or assisting a pregnant individual in exercising their right to reproductive freedom with their voluntary consent. Detroit Free Press, 10 Sep. 2022 One person remembered an Elton John concert having a similarly adverse effect on Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Guardians. Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2022 Yaden says it’s a matter of when—not if—a high-profile adverse event occurs during psychedelic treatment. WIRED, 2 Sep. 2022 The goal was to encourage better communication in more adverse, late-drive scenarios. Nathan Baird, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2022 In my nine years as president, Claremont McKenna has never held a disciplinary review, conducted an investigation or taken any adverse remedial action against any faculty member, including Mr. Nadon, for classroom speech. WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 In criminal cases, the prosecution may not comment on the decision to invoke Fifth Amendment rights and the jury is prohibited from drawing an adverse inference. Ella Lee, USA TODAY, 12 Aug. 2022 Shrewd bettors aren’t entirely adverse to supporting teams playing out the string, as long as the underdog’s pitching is quality. Lance Pugmire, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French advers, borrowed from Latin adversus "turned toward, facing, opposed," from past participle of advertere "to turn toward, direct" — more at advert entry 1
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
adverse
adjective
Legal Definition
adverse
adjective
adverse
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- unfavorable
- negative
- hostile
- detrimental
- harmful
- damaging
- prejudicial
- threatening
- disadvantageous
- destructive
- untoward
- bad
- inimical
- unfriendly
- hazardous
- counter
- dangerous
- conflicting
- deleterious
- unsympathetic
- risky
- injurious
- baneful
- opposing
- fatal
- pernicious
- unsafe
- troublesome
- poisonous
- lethal
- ruinous
- noxious
- perilous
- baleful
- malignant
- offensive
- hurtful
- evil
- antagonistic
- unhealthy
- ill
- resisting
- resistant
- jeopardizing
- counteracting
- murderous
- wounding
- parlous
- imperiling
- countering
- uncongenial
- antipathetic
- scathing
- competing
- calumnious
- slanderous
- inhospitable
- imperilling
- defamatory
- uncooperative
- detractive
- intolerant
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- favorable
- positive
- advantageous
- beneficial
- sympathetic
- supportive
- good
- friendly
- useful
- propitious
- helpful
- harmless
- innocuous
- nonfatal
- innocent
- nonlethal
- nonthreatening
- inoffensive
- well-disposed
- nondestructive
- tolerant
- agreeable
- understanding
- congenial
- benign
- friendly
- complying
- amiable
- unresistant
- benignant
- cordial
- hospitable
- affable
- amicable
Synonyms & Similar Words
- detrimental
- harmful
- damaging
- dangerous
- bad
- deleterious
- injurious
- hazardous
- prejudicial
- baneful
- pernicious
- poisonous
- noxious
- infectious
- hurtful
- hostile
- baleful
- evil
- wicked
- mischievous
- ill
- nocuous
- destructive
- deadly
- unsafe
- threatening
- inimical
- venomous
- risky
- infective
- lethal
- sinister
- unfriendly
- ominous
- fatal
- insidious
- perilous
- pestilential
- menacing
- pestiferous
- pestilent
- jeopardizing
- unhealthful
- ruinous
- unwholesome
- parlous
- contagious
- malignant
- imperiling
- nasty
- unhealthy
- unsound
- imperilling
- killer
- noisome
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- favorable
- beneficial
- harmless
- advantageous
- benign
- innocuous
- safe
- useful
- innocent
- good
- propitious
- anodyne
- inoffensive
- salutary
- healthful
- remedial
- helpful
- salubrious
- curative
- healthy
- wholesome
- sound
- palliative
- secure
- hurtless
- benignant
- nonfatal
- noninfectious
- nonlethal
- nontoxic
- noncorrosive
- nonpoisonous
- nondestructive
- nonpolluting
- nonvenomous