“Averse” and “adverse” actually mean the same thing. They both are words that mean “opposed” or “hostile.” The two words, however, can’t be used interchangeably because they are meant for different purposes.
“Averse” and its conjugate “aversion” both show that a person is opposed or hostile to something. For instance, a typical four-year-old has an “aversion” to cough syrup. Some writers are “averse” to criticism.
“Adverse,” by contrast, refers to something opposed to the subject. An example is “adverse” weather conditions. They reduce visibility, make it difficult for airplanes to land and take off, and leave many a traveler stranded in some godforsaken airport.
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[…] apostrophes at Vocus. To segue into xPotomac14, she talks about “averse” and “adverse,” words worth considering when attempting to describe weather conditions in Washington […]