Basic Details
Word: Adverse
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Harmful or unfavourable; working against you, as in adverse weather or an adverse effect.
Synonyms: harmful, unfavourable, hostile, negative
Antonyms: favourable, beneficial, positive
Sounds like: averse (strongly disliking something or unwilling to do it, as in averse to hard work)
Word origin: Comes from Latin adversus, turned against, from ad, towards, and vertere, to turn.
How to Spell Adverse
Syllables: ad - verse
Tricky part: It ends in verse, not verce, and it is easily confused with averse, which has no d.
Watch out for: adverce, advers, addverse
Memory tip: Adverse conditions push you into reverse: both words end in verse.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The match was stopped because of adverse weather.
Example 2: The medicine had no adverse effects on Dadi.
Example 3: An adverse report from the inspectors worried the factory owners.
Fun Fact
Sailors speak of adverse winds, meaning winds that blow against the direction a ship wants to go.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word adverse as used in the sentence:
The farmers struggled with adverse weather throughout the sowing season.
a) harsh
b) hostile
c) favourable
d) unfriendly
Show answer
c) favourable. Favourable weather helps the crops, the reverse of adverse weather.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word:
1. converse 2. adverce 3. diverse 4. reverse
a) of many different kinds
b) to talk with someone
c) to go backwards or turn into the opposite
d) harmful or working against you
Show answer
d) harmful or working against you. Each of the other three ends in verse, so adverse must too.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
addverse
a) v
b) d
c) e
d) s
Show answer
b) d. Adverse begins with ad, one d, and then verse.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which phrase uses adverse correctly?
a) adverse to eating spinach
b) an adverse birthday party
c) adverse and happy news
d) adverse weather conditions
Show answer
d) adverse weather conditions
2. An adverse effect of a medicine is ____.
a) a bright colour
b) a lower price
c) a pleasant taste
d) an unwanted, harmful result
Show answer
d) an unwanted, harmful result
