adjective
C2
Proficient
averse
uh-VURS
Averse (adjective) means Strongly disliking or opposed to something. Example: “He's not averse to a bit of risk when it comes to investing.”
adjective
1
Strongly disliking or opposed to something.
"He's not averse to a bit of risk when it comes to investing."
"She has always been averse to public speaking."
How to use averse
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUnwilling or reluctant, often used with "to" or in the phrase "not averse to."
Common mistake
Don't confuse "averse" (unwilling) with "adverse" (harmful or unfavourable, as in "adverse weather").
Easily confused with
Common pairings
risk-averse
not averse to
averse to change
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- averses
- Past tense
- aversed
- Comparative
- more averse
- Superlative
- most averse
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He's not _____ to a bit of risk when it comes to investing.
Etymology
From Latin aversus, the past participle of avertere, "to turn away."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for averse
verse
inverse
reverse
adverse
diverse
immerse
universe
converse
perverse
disperse
traverse
multiverse
See all rhymes for averse →
Frequently asked questions
What does “averse” mean?
The word “averse” means strongly disliking or opposed to something. In plain terms, unwilling or reluctant, often used with "to" or in the phrase "not averse to.".
How do you pronounce “averse”?
“Averse” is pronounced uh-VURS (/əˈvɜː(ɹ)s/ in IPA).
How do you use “averse” in a sentence?
Here is “averse” used in a sentence: “He's not averse to a bit of risk when it comes to investing.”
What part of speech is “averse”?
“Averse” is an adjective.
Where does the word “averse” come from?
The word “averse” comes from Latin. From Latin aversus, the past participle of avertere, "to turn away.".
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