adverse

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'adverse' is correct and usable in written English.
It is an adjective used to describe something that is harmful or unfavorable. Example sentence: The adverse weather conditions made it impossible for us to continue our journey.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's not as dangerous as another adverse reaction such as the one you describe, which we call anaphylaxis.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

In reality, grasping that your parents are flawed is unlikely to have any long-term adverse effects (and it is a realisation likely to occur repeatedly throughout one's life).

The Guardian - Opinion

Most employment discrimination statutes outlaw adverse employment actions – they bar employers from hiring, firing or otherwise disadvantaging workers on the basis of one's race, sex or religion.

The Guardian - Opinion

"As with some other major AAA-rated sovereigns, unless off-setting measures were adopted, the capacity of UK public finances to absorb adverse economic and financial shocks that would result in yet higher public debt while retaining its 'AAA' status has largely been exhausted," it said.

The Guardian

In particular, the guide highlights high levels of "adverse medical events", the widespread under-reporting of incidents and too many hospitals with death rates higher than one would expect.

The Guardian

Although, Broad's situation will become a lot clearer over the next few days, when England's medics examine whether he has suffered any adverse reaction, the spinner James Tredwell is confident his captain will get the all-clear.

The Guardian - Sport

Ironically, breast ironing, which many female proponents believe deters teenage sex, may be contributing to a significant number of adverse consequences.

The Guardian

This has resulted in asylum seekers spending longer in detention, with more than half having spent four to six months inside: The report, dated February 2014, says increased time spent in detention is associated with an increase in "adverse" behaviour, identifying the seven-to-12-month bracket as the worst period.

The Guardian

Similar calls for an Icac-style body have been made repeatedly, including by the Labor opposition, and inquiry commissioner John Lawler, in his adverse findings against former Labor leader Delia Lawrie and her involvement in the granting of a 10-year, rent-free lease of a historic Darwin site to Unions NT.

The Guardian

Neither Lowe nor Reynolds lost their jobs nor suffered any other adverse employment action.

The Guardian - Opinion

Offset measures for commercial fishing in the event of adverse impacts.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing potential outcomes or effects, consider using "adverse" to highlight negative or unfavorable consequences. For example, "The new policy could have adverse effects on small businesses".

Common error

Avoid confusing "adverse", which means unfavorable or harmful, with "averse", which means having a strong dislike or opposition to something. Remember, "adverse" describes an external condition, while "averse" describes an internal feeling.

Linguistic Context

The adjective "adverse" primarily functions as a pre-modifier, describing a noun by attributing a negative or unfavorable quality to it. Ludwig examples show it qualifying nouns like "reaction", "effects", and "consequences". The consistent use of "adverse" to denote negativity aligns with Ludwig AI's assessment of correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Formal & Business

27%

Science

27%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adjective "adverse" is a common and useful term for describing something unfavorable or harmful. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is grammatically correct and widely accepted. It frequently appears in news, formal business writing, and scientific contexts. When using "adverse", be sure to avoid confusing it with "averse", and consider alternative terms like "unfavorable", "detrimental", or "harmful" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey. Remember that Ludwig provides numerous real-world examples to guide your writing and ensure accurate usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unfavorable

Replaces "adverse" with a more neutral term indicating a lack of favor or approval.

detrimental

Emphasizes the damaging and harmful aspect, differing slightly in intensity from "adverse".

harmful

Focuses specifically on the capacity to cause harm or damage.

negative

A more general term indicating an undesirable or unfavorable outcome.

unfortunate

Highlights the unlucky or regrettable nature of a situation.

inauspicious

Suggests a bad omen or indication of future failure.

counterproductive

Indicates an action or measure that achieves the opposite of the intended result.

undesirable

A broad term for something unwanted or unwelcome.

unpropitious

Similar to inauspicious, emphasizing unfavorable conditions or circumstances.

ill-fated

Highlights a destiny marked by misfortune or failure.

FAQs

How to use "adverse" in a sentence?

Use "adverse" to describe something unfavorable or harmful. For example, "The company faced "adverse market conditions"" or "The medication had several "adverse side effects"".

What can I say instead of "adverse"?

You can use alternatives like "unfavorable", "detrimental", or "harmful" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "adverse effect" or "averse effect"?

"Adverse effect" is correct. "Adverse" means unfavorable or harmful. "Averse" means having a strong dislike or opposition, so "averse effect" is grammatically incorrect in this context.

What's the difference between "adverse" and "averse"?

"Adverse" describes something that is unfavorable or harmful, such as "adverse weather conditions". "Averse" describes a feeling of dislike or opposition, such as "I am "averse to public speaking"".