something opposite or contrary.
Logic.
a proposition obtained from another proposition by conversion.
the relation between two terms, one of which is related to the other in a given manner, as “younger than” to “older than.”
a group of words correlative with a preceding group but having a significant pair of terms interchanged, as “hot in winter but cold in summer” and “cold in winter but hot in summer.”
to engage in conversation (with)
to commune spiritually (with)
obsolete
to associate; consort
to have sexual intercourse
conversation (often in the phrase hold converse with )
obsolete
fellowship or acquaintance
sexual intercourse
something that is opposite or contrary
logic
a categorical proposition obtained from another by the transposition of subject and predicate, as no bad man is bald from no bald man is bad
a proposition so derived, possibly by weakening a universal proposition to the corresponding particular, as some socialists are rich from all rich men are socialists
logic maths a relation that holds between two relata only when a given relation holds between them in reverse order: thus father of is the converse of son of
See speak.
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English conversen, from Middle French converser, from Latin conversārī “to associate with”; see con-, verse
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English convers, from Anglo-French or directly from Latin conversus, past participle of convertere “to turn around,” equivalent to con- “with, together” + vert- “to turn” + -tus past participle suffix; cf. convert 1
Converse is a more formal way of saying "carry on a conversation." You could converse with your best friend for hours over lunch, but continue the chit-chat through the afternoon matinee and you might get shushed. Oddly enough, converse was originally a verb meaning “to move about, live or dwell” when it first came into existence in the mid 14th century. But today we only use converse to talk about, well, talking. Quipped the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, “When marrying, one should ask oneself this question: Do you believe that you will be able to converse well with this woman into your old age?” A good question for marrying men and women!
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A lot of the time, these folks converse like they’re at a Nantucket board of health meeting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
A Reddit-like pseudo social network for OpenClaw agents called Moltbook, where chatbots converse, has also grabbed headlines and provoked soul-searching over AI.
From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026
In a converse way, Kay and Down’s reluctance to be so clean, so shiny and so heteronormative with their characters is just as forward-thinking as any media that conjures a conventional picture of equality.
From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2026
"I was like a little old man. I used to speak like a grown-up. I wore three-piece suits and couldn't converse with other children," the 37-year-old says.
From BBC ● Dec. 27, 2025
“So? I don’t need to know your name because we’re never going to converse again. Got it?”
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
However, Alex did have to wear her Converse trainers across before changing into her wedding shoes, and gave strict instructions for friends and family.
From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026
Nike also said it would be streamlining work at its Air Manufacturing Innovation facilities in Beaverton, Ore., St. Louis and Vietnam, and relocating some manufacturing related to its Converse sneaker brand.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 23, 2026
North America will see modest growth in the quarter, while Trends in Greater China and Converse should be in line with the second quarter.
From Barron's ● Dec. 18, 2025
There are also yellow tents selling only Golf Wang, and there’s a Converse pop-up with Golf le Fleur, where shoppers are able to sit down and try on the in-demand shoes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 24, 2025
My yellow Converse sank into an inch of flattened hay, and my sundress did nothing to protect my legs from it tickling my calves and ankles.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Sometimes she converses with its voice assistant while driving her car.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025
Rizzs listened to all the games he’s missed on radio or watched on television, and converses knowledgeable about the recent outings of Bryce Miller and Logan Gilbert.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 18, 2023
In its relative orderliness and palatability, “Yes and Yes” is not really a danced analogy to the book, but something else, complex in its own ways, true to Roche’s voice as she converses with another.
From New York Times ● May 5, 2023
All the while, Bobby converses with friends who riff on time or men and women or Vietnam or failure, paragraphs and pages of disquisitions that can be funny and moving and dirty and insightful.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2022
He occasionally converses about the circus with his fellow pub dwellers.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
In one unit, students conversed with ChatGPT role-playing the attendees of an 1816 dinner party where Mary Shelley hatched the idea for “Frankenstein,” and then discussed the experience in class.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026
Norman said he conversed with Trump twice on Friday.
From BBC ● Jan. 3, 2025
Ohtani and Dodgers coaches have conversed more directly in the dugout and the clubhouse, according to multiple coaches.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2024
Instead she toured the clinic and conversed with healthcare providers and patients who were interested in speaking with her.
From Salon ● Mar. 14, 2024
We conversed, at first in English and then in bits of Vietnamese.
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Before her departure, Keyser appeared in the first 20 minutes of Thursday's episode, conversing with one of the male contestants before appearing briefly in two further non-speaking scenes.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
“Sentimental Value’s” final shot, which similarly shows Nora and Gustav conversing, neatly tied together the movie’s themes of family, fiction and forgiveness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 17, 2026
As long as it’s dialogue and we’re conversing and we are speaking and people are speaking from their point of views, I can absolutely respect that.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2026
"The more the robot watches humans conversing, the better it will get at imitating the nuanced facial gestures we can emotionally connect with."
From Science Daily ● Jan. 16, 2026
Have you ever heard people conversing while you’re falling asleep?”
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
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.
