I. (ˈ)ad|vərs, -ə̄s, -əis also ədˈv- adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French advers, from Latin adversus (past participle of advertere to turn to) — more at advert
1. : acting against or in a contrary direction : opposing
adverse winds
hindered by adverse forces
: hostile , opposed , antagonistic
her feelings were still adverse to any man save one — Jane Austen
a spirit adverse to class distinctions
2.
a. : in opposition to one's interests : detrimental , unfavorable
an adverse balance of trade
circumstances adverse to success
adverse fortune
an adverse verdict
b. : tending to stress faults and withhold praise : condemnatory , critical
irritated by adverse reviews of his play
overheard several adverse comments
3.
a. : opposite in position : confronting
Calpe's adverse height — Lord Byron
the two adverse carriages would therefore, to a certainty, be traveling on the same side — Thomas De Quincey
b. botany : turned toward the stem or axis
adverse leaves
— opposed to averse
4. law : having opposing interests : having interests for the preservation of which opposition is essential
Synonyms:
inimical , antagonistic , counter , counteractive : adverse describes what is unfavorable, harmful, difficult, detrimental; it may refer to opposition, often decisive or fateful opposition
what very small things in adverse circumstances suffice to make people happy — a little food, warmth, and something to look forward to — Hervey Allen
an adverse wind had so delayed him that his cargo brought but half its proper price — Amy Lowell
inimical may describe strongly adversative or prejudicial tendencies or effects or determinedly hostile persons, sometimes malevolent
the fact of universal elementary education is inimical to poetry — C.D.Lewis
nor was Miss Briggs, although forced to adopt a hostile attitude, secretly inimical to Rawdon — W.M.Thackeray
antagonistic , more frequently applied to persons than to things, may suggest incompatibility, antipathy, irreconcilability, or hostile opposition
the West Indian planters, upon whom the successful working of the system largely depended, were not merely unsympathetic but violently antagonistic to it — Times Literary Supplement
the antagonistic principles of aristocracy and democracy — V.L.Parrington
counter may be applied to opposition, to action or tendency in an opposing direction, sometimes to parrying, retaliation, or reprisal
as I reached the limit of my swing and prepared to rush back on the counter swing — Jack London
currents and counter currents
a counter threat that the interdict would be followed by the banishment of the clergy — J.R.Green
counteractive refers to opposition tending to check, nullify, or destroy
counteractive measures against the epidemic
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: oppose
adverse a land patent