adversarial

adjective

ad·​ver·​sar·​i·​al ˌad-vər-ˈser-ē-əl How to pronounce adversarial (audio)
ˌad-və-,
-ˈse-rē-
: involving two people or two sides who oppose each other : of, relating to, or characteristic of an adversary or adversary procedures (see adversary entry 2 sense 2)
an adversarial relationship
an adversarial system of justice with prosecution and defense opposing each other

Examples of adversarial in a Sentence

an adversarial system of justice with prosecution and defense opposing each other the relationship between the president and the congress should not be adversarial if anything is to get done
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
CEOs should encourage CISOs to leverage AI agents proactively to identify and remediate risks and vulnerabilities while defending against adversarial AI in real time. Hed Kovetz, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025 The share of Russians who view the U.S. as a hostile nation has dropped dramatically since 2024, and now — for the first time in decades — more Russians label other countries as adversarial, a new survey from the Levada Center found. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 9 June 2025 Pritzker’s adversarial relationship with the Republican president could make Illinois a target for any of those federal cutbacks. Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2025 But amid escalating trade wars, adversarial geoeconomics, and market uncertainty, one crucial argument remains overlooked: the path forward demands confronting the root causes of a broken system. Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for adversarial

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of adversarial was in 1839

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Cite this Entry

“Adversarial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adversarial. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

adversarial

adjective
ad·​ver·​sar·​i·​al
ˌad-vər-ˈser-ē-əl
: involving two people or two sides who oppose each other

Legal Definition

adversarial

adjective
ad·​ver·​sar·​i·​al ˌad-vər-ˈser-ē-əl How to pronounce adversarial (audio)
: of, relating to, or characteristic of an adversary or adversary procedures : adversary

More from Merriam-Webster on adversarial

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