adversary
Americannoun
plural
adversaries-
a person, group, or force that opposes or attacks; opponent; enemy; foe.
- Antonyms:
- ally
-
a person, group, etc., that is an opponent in a contest; contestant.
-
the Adversary, the devil; Satan.
adjective
-
of or relating to an adversary.
-
involving adversaries, as plaintiff and defendant in a legal proceeding.
an adversary trial.
noun
-
a person or group that is hostile to someone; enemy
-
an opposing contestant in a game or sport
adjective
Related Words
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
- adversariness noun
- nonadversarial adjective
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Friday night, Cronin and the Bruins will take on the challenge of Central Florida and his longtime adversary Dawkins, mindful there are no gimmes once you get this far.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026
The trailer ends with a dramatic clip of Chani running towards an unseen adversary, before fading to black.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026
Anthropic is the first US company ever to have been publicly punished with such a designation, a label typically reserved for organizations from foreign adversary countries, such as Chinese tech giant Huawei.
From Barron's • Mar. 9, 2026
Many point to China as our emerging adversary, but it isn’t only Beijing we have to worry about.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026
There is nothing resembling predation, and no pretense of an adversary stance on either side.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
