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
Let this sink in for a moment – zero job growth versus an average of almost 2 million for the 10 years prior to 2025.
—
Rachel Barber, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
Revenue for the period beat, however, coming in at $654 million versus the $650 million estimate.
—Christina Cheddar Berk, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026
But what if the main divide among Democrats today is not, as so many assume, progressive versus moderate?
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
For the week of February 2 to 6, The Tonight Show was up 27% versus its season average.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for versus
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Rachel Barber, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
Revenue for the period beat, however, coming in at $654 million versus the $650 million estimate.
—Christina Cheddar Berk, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026
But what if the main divide among Democrats today is not, as so many assume, progressive versus moderate?
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
For the week of February 2 to 6, The Tonight Show was up 27% versus its season average.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 11 Feb. 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 14 Feb. 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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