adversary
Americannoun
-
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
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
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
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."
Vocabulary lists containing adversary
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 1
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"Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" by Patrick Henry (1775)
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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.
He is cultivating Mr. Xi as a partner now, not an adversary.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Despite peace overtures from the South Korean government, the North has repeatedly cast Seoul as its main adversary, and recently removed longstanding references to Korean unification from its constitution.
From Barron's • May 8, 2026
"No adversary should mistake our current restraint with a lack of resolve."
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
Altman, his former protégé turned adversary, was present for Thursday's exchanges and left the courthouse shortly after Musk finished.
From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026
In the toilet, where I used to take the papers, it was torturous to look for and exclude the unnecessary pages so that I could learn how he would finally outwit his latest adversary.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
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.
