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averse

adjective
\ ə-ˈvərs How to pronounce averse (audio) \

Definition of averse

: having an active feeling of repugnance, dislike, or distaste —usually used with to She was not averse to taking chances.He seems to be averse to strenuous exercise. —commonly used in compounds both with and without a hyphen a conservative risk-averse investora crowd averse teen
Other Words from averse Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Adverse vs. Averse Example Sentences Learn More about averse

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Other Words from averse

aversely adverb
averseness noun

Synonyms for averse

Synonyms

allergic, antipathetic

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Choose the Right Synonym for averse

disinclined, hesitant, reluctant, loath, averse mean lacking the will or desire to do something indicated. disinclined implies lack of taste for or inclination. disinclined to move again disinclined for reading hesitant implies a holding back especially through fear or uncertainty. hesitant about asking for a date reluctant implies a holding back through unwillingness. a reluctant witness loath implies hesitancy because of conflict with one's opinions, predilections, or liking. seems loath to trust anyone averse implies a holding back from or avoiding because of distaste or repugnance. averse to hard work not averse to an occasional drink

Adverse vs. Averse

Many people find themselves confused when faced with the choice between adverse and averse. While these two adjectives have many similarities, they are not used interchangeably.

If you want to describe a negative reaction to something (such as a harmful side effect from medication) or dangerous meteorological conditions (such as a snowstorm), adverse is the correct choice; you would not say that you had an averse reaction to medication or that there was averse weather.

Averse is most commonly followed by the preposition to (as in "she is averse to shellfish"), but not in every case; you can, for example, describe someone as “risk averse." Normally, averse to signifies a degree of dislike and avoidance, but when preceded by the word not (as in “he was not averse to having another drink”), it may be used as a pointedly understated way to express an interest in something.

In short, adverse tends to be used to describe effects, conditions, and results; while averse refers to feelings and inclinations.

Examples of averse in a Sentence

I'm not averse to broccoli if it's cooked right.

Recent Examples on the Web

 The demands of having just one screen, and having to fill all those seats made for programming that was risk-averse. — John Leland, New York Times, "The Last Single-Screen Theater in New York Goes Dark," 1 Sep. 2019 There’s a decent chance that Malzahn, now calling all the offensive plays in an official capacity, will be risk-averse with Nix in his college debut, hoping to avoid game-losing mistakes. — Christopher Smith, al, "Sharp bettors hammer Auburn-Oregon under," 30 Aug. 2019 In other words, if the organ isn't in the best shape, transplant centers may be risk averse reluctant to take a chance. — Jen Christensen, CNN, "The US is throwing away at least 3,500 donated kidneys every year, study finds," 26 Aug. 2019 However much risk-averse investors may prefer share buy-backs to ambitious capital-spending plans, halting investment could be seen as a flag of surrender by the likes of Amazon. — The Economist, "FedEx’s visionary founder is a disrupter at risk of disruption," 15 Aug. 2019 Pollak says that for many woman, especially those who tend to be more risk averse, working in a hospital setting is preferable to owning a practice. — Michelle Cheng, Quartz at Work, "The US industries where female representation is rising fastest," 14 Aug. 2019 Airlines are becoming more risk averse in the face of oil price volatility, trade wars and geopolitical stability, Jankovec said. — Washington Post, "European airports plan for net zero carbon emissions," 26 June 2019 Kent Walker, Google's risk-averse vice president of public policy, had been advising staffers not to do anything that might upset Steve Bannon or Breitbart. — Nitasha Tiku, WIRED, "Three Years of Misery Inside Google, the Happiest Company in Tech," 13 Aug. 2019 The percentage of Hurts’ throws of 20 or more yards dipped slightly between his freshman and sophomore years — 15.7 to 14.8 — as the former Crimson Tide star took a more risk-averse approach in 2017, his final year as the primary quarterback. — Rainer Sabin | Rsabin@al.com, al.com, "Will Nick Saban rein in Tua Tagovailoa this season?," 23 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'averse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of averse

1597, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for averse

Latin aversus, past participle of avertere — see avert

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More Definitions for averse

averse

adjective
\ ə-ˈvərs How to pronounce averse (audio) \

Kids Definition of averse

: having a feeling of dislike He is averse to exercise.

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More from Merriam-Webster on averse

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with averse

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for averse

Spanish Central: Translation of averse

Nglish: Translation of averse for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of averse for Arabic Speakers

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