adverse
Adverse (adj) means Unfavorable or harmful; working against someone's interests. Example: “The medication can cause adverse side effects in some patients.”
How to use adverse
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBad, harmful, or working against you.
Adverse describes conditions or effects ("adverse reaction"); averse describes a person's feelings ("averse to risk"). They're easy to swap by mistake.
Word forms
more adverse comparative, adverser comparative, most adverse superlative, adversest superlative
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The medication can cause _____ side effects in some patients.
Etymology
From Old French avers, from Latin adversus, "turned against" — from ad- ("to") plus vertere ("to turn").
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for adverse
Frequently asked questions
What does “adverse” mean?
The word “adverse” means unfavorable or harmful; working against someone's interests. In plain terms, bad, harmful, or working against you.
How do you pronounce “adverse”?
“Adverse” is pronounced AD-vuhs (/ˈæd.və(ɹ)s/ in IPA).
How do you use “adverse” in a sentence?
Here is “adverse” used in a sentence: “The medication can cause adverse side effects in some patients.”
What is the opposite of “adverse”?
The opposite of “adverse” — its antonyms — is proverse.
What part of speech is “adverse”?
“Adverse” is an adjective.
Where does the word “adverse” come from?
The word “adverse” comes from Latin. From Old French avers, from Latin adversus, "turned against" — from ad- ("to") plus vertere ("to turn").
Is “adverse” a common word?
“Adverse” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
What is the difference between adverse and averse?
Adverse means unfavorable or harmful and describes conditions or effects, as in adverse weather or adverse effects. Averse means having a strong dislike or reluctance and describes a person's attitude, as in averse to risk.
What is the difference between adverse and adversarial?
Adverse means unfavorable or harmful in its effect. Adversarial means involving conflict or opposition between opposing sides, as in an adversarial relationship or an adversarial legal system.
What nouns commonly go with adverse?
Adverse frequently pairs with words such as effect, reaction, weather, conditions, and consequences. These collocations describe something working against a person's interests.
Is adverse used to describe people?
Adverse usually describes conditions, effects, or circumstances rather than a person's feelings. If you mean a person's dislike or reluctance, the correct word is averse, as in averse to change.
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