What does adversary mean?
Definitions for adversary
ad·ver·sa·ry
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word adversary.
Princeton's WordNet
adversary, antagonist, opponent, opposer, resisternoun
someone who offers opposition
Wiktionary
adversarynoun
An opponent or rival.
Adversarynoun
Satan
Adversarynoun
the Devil
Adversarynoun
Shaitan
Etymology: aversaire (in Wace's Life of Saint Margaret), from aversier, aversaire (French adversaire), from adversarius, from adversus.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Adversarynoun
An opponent; antagonist; enemy: generally applied to those that have verbal or judicial quarrels; as, controvertists or litigants: sometimes to an opponent in single combat. It may sometimes imply an open profession of enmity; as we say, a secret enemy is worse than an open adversary.
Etymology: adversaire, Fr. adversarius, Lat.
Yet am I noble, as the adversary
I come to cope. William Shakespeare, King Lear.Those rites and ceremonies of the church, therefore, which were the self-same now that they were, when holy and virtuous men maintained them against profane and deriding adversaries, her own children have in derision. Richard Hooker, b. i. § 1.
Mean while th’ adversary of God and man,
Satan, with thoughts inflam’d, of highest design,
Puts on swift wings. John Milton, Paradise Lost, b. ii. l. 620.An adversary, on the contrary, makes a stricter search into us, and discovers every flaw and imperfection in our tempers. A friend exaggerates a man’s virtues; an enemy inflames his crimes. Joseph Addison, Spectator, №. 399.
Wikipedia
Adversary
An adversary is generally considered to be a person, group, or force that opposes and/or attacks.
ChatGPT
adversary
An adversary is a person, group, or force that opposes or attacks; an opponent or enemy. In a broader sense, it can also refer to anything that opposes or obstructs progress or achievement, such as a difficult situation or a challenging problem.
Webster Dictionary
Adversarynoun
one who is turned against another or others with a design to oppose or resist them; a member of an opposing or hostile party; an opponent; an antagonist; an enemy; a foe
Adversaryadjective
opposed; opposite; adverse; antagonistic
Adversaryadjective
having an opposing party; not unopposed; as, an adversary suit
Wikidata
Adversary
The Adversary is a fictional character, a demonic supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Adversary
ad′vėrs-ar-i, n. an opponent: an enemy: Satan, as the general adversary of mankind. [O. Fr. aversier—L. adversarius. See Adverse.]
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms
adversary
A party acknowledged as potentially hostile to a friendly party and against which the use of force may be envisaged.
Dictionary of Nautical Terms
adversary
Generally applied to an enemy, but strictly an opponent in single combat.
Military Dictionary and Gazetteer
adversary
Generally applied to an enemy, but strictly an opponent in single combat.
Suggested Resources
adversary
Song lyrics by adversary -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by adversary on the Lyrics.com website.
Matched Categories
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of adversary in Chaldean Numerology is: 7
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of adversary in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5
Examples of adversary in a Sentence
Zimbabwe is not and has never been an adversary of the United States of America.
Clinton Campaign Chairman John Podesta:
We have never in the history of our country been in a situation where an adversary, a foreign power, is working so hard to influence the outcome of the election, and believe me, they’re not doing it to get me elected. They’re doing it to try to influence the election for Donald Trump.
I'm clear who my adversary his: Nicolas Maduro and his model, nicolas Maduro should save Venezuela from more tragedies and resign.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi:
We don't agree on everything naturally, but we believe together that fighting unemployment today in Europe means combating populism. We have the same adversary: Populism.
There has been a long running rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia … the Saudis see us as an ally, the Iranians see us an adversary – that’s always placed limitations on what they could do to one another.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for adversary
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- خصمArabic
- съперник, противник, неприятелBulgarian
- protivníkCzech
- modstanderDanish
- GegnerGerman
- αντίπαλοςGreek
- adversaria, adversarioSpanish
- همیستار, هماوردPersian
- vastustaja, vihollinen, vastapuoliFinnish
- adversaire, ennemiFrench
- adversaryIrish
- adversarioGalician
- אויב, יריבHebrew
- ellenfélHungarian
- ախոյանArmenian
- musuhIndonesian
- óvinur, andstæðingurIcelandic
- avversario, avversariaItalian
- 相手, 敵Japanese
- adversaria, adversariusLatin
- tegenstanderDutch
- motstander, opponentNorwegian
- przeciwnik, adwersarzPolish
- adversárioPortuguese
- adversarRomanian
- неприятельница, соперница, соперник, неприятель, противницаRussian
- odporca, protivníkSlovak
- motståndareSwedish
- వ్యతిరేకిTelugu
- rakipTurkish
- đối thủVietnamese
- קעגנערYiddish
- 对手Chinese
Get even more translations for adversary »
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"adversary." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 22 Jan. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/adversary>.
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