versus
preposition
1
: against
2
: in contrast to or as the alternative of
free trade versus protection
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Abbreviating Versus
In a number of areas the English language is possessed of an embarrassment of riches, with multiple synonyms or abbreviations for a word. One such case is versus, which is often written in a shortened form. You may choose between vs, vs., and v. Take care, when writing the word out in full, that you distinguish between versus (a preposition meaning “against”) and verses (“lines of metrical writing”).
Examples of versus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And Sunday’s go-ahead blast sent the Phillies home series winners, taking the final game versus the Mets 5-4 to finish off a 5-2 trip.
—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
The same goes for powder versus pills, as long as the product delivers the same dose of creatine monohydrate.
—
Emily Cegielski,
Flow Space,
29 June 2026
Meanwhile SoCal played two teenagers themselves in Campbell and Mackinnon, making for an interesting battle of youth versus experience.
—
Todd Boss,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
But states that aren't able to drive down their error rates will likely need to make choices that could impact their residents, such as choosing between funding public services like law enforcement and education versus providing food aid.
—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for versus
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
The same goes for powder versus pills, as long as the product delivers the same dose of creatine monohydrate.
—
Emily Cegielski,
Flow Space,
29 June 2026
Meanwhile SoCal played two teenagers themselves in Campbell and Mackinnon, making for an interesting battle of youth versus experience.
—
Todd Boss,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
But states that aren't able to drive down their error rates will likely need to make choices that could impact their residents, such as choosing between funding public services like law enforcement and education versus providing food aid.
—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for versus
Cite this Entry
“Versus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/versus. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
1
: against sense 1a
the champion versus the challenger
2
: in contrast to or as the alternative of
the tastiness of store-bought versus homemade cookies
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