Adversary
An opponent; a foe; an enemy.
nounAdversary
An opponent; a foe; an enemy.
nounImagine This
During the D-Day anniversary (the landing of the Allied forces on Normandy Beach in World War II), the old surviving soldiers still clearly remember how they bravely fought to defeat their enemy.
Sounds Like
AD-vər-suh-ree
Looks Like
Looks like 'adversary' (the word itself) and may be mistaken for 'adverse' due to similar spelling.
Remember This
Adversary refers to an opposing person; adverse means harmful or contrary. Do not confuse the two.
Other Forms
Connect With
opponent, foe, rival, antagonist, enemy; opposition, conflict
Note
Use adversary for a person or group who opposes you in conflict or competition. Distinguish from adverse (harmful, unfavorable) and from advocate (one who supports).
Study Deeper
- In chess, each player carefully studies their adversary's strategy.
- The hero faced a cunning adversary who sought to undermine his plans.
From Latin adversarius 'opponent', from adversus 'against' (toward facing), via Old French adversaire into English adversary.
Mnemonic: Think of adversary as someone who is against you in a versus (versus) matchup.
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Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Opponent
nounA person who competes against or opposes someone; an adversary.
Abasement
nounThe act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accent
nounA distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling