adversarial

British  

/ ˌædvɜːˈsɛərɪəl /

adjective

1. pertaining to or characterized by antagonism and conflict

2. US term: adversary.  having or involving opposing parties or interests in a legal contest

---

Explanation

Anything that's adversarial is full of intense disagreement and conflict. If you had an adversarial relationship with your sister, it would be extremely difficult to share a bedroom with her. Adversarial exchanges between countries don't bode well — they often lead to more intense conflicts, or possibly even war. Being adversarial means that each side is antagonistic, sharply opposed to the other, or locked into a deeply divided rivalry. In fact, this adjective is sometimes used simply to mean "hostile." Your adversary is your enemy or competitor, and both words stem from the Latin adversus, "turned against."

Example Sentences

Planet initially said its original 14-day delay policy was "to ensure our imagery is not tactically leveraged by adversarial actors to target allied and Nato-partner personnel and civilians".

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Rival U.S. firms are sharing information to detect so-called adversarial distillation attempts that violate their terms of service.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Atkins warned what he “would really hate to see” is a future regulator reverting to the adversarial posture of his predecessors.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

Historically, Iran’s 1979 revolution transformed it from a U.S.-aligned monarchy to an adversarial theocratic state — a legacy that shapes today’s fears about protracted conflict and regional destabilization.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

Many of the professors used the Socratic method—direct, repetitive, and adversarial questioning—which had the incidental effect of humiliating unprepared students.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

• antagonistic