Adversarial
adjective
Involving two groups that oppose each other or have conflicting interests.
The negotiations between the two countries turned adversarial, with each side wanting more benefits for themselves.
Often appears as...
- adversarial relationship
- adversarial system
Usage tips
Formal
adjective
Relating to a legal system where lawyers of each side try to win.
The adversarial justice system in many Western countries involves a defense and prosecution presenting their cases to a neutral judge.
Often appears as...
- adversarial litigation
- adversarial court
Usage tips
Formal
adjective
Involving two groups that oppose each other or have conflicting interests.
The negotiations between the two countries turned adversarial, with each side wanting more benefits for themselves.
Often appears as...
- adversarial relationship
- adversarial system
Usage tips
Formal
adjective
Relating to a legal system where lawyers of each side try to win.
The adversarial justice system in many Western countries involves a defense and prosecution presenting their cases to a neutral judge.
Often appears as...
- adversarial litigation
- adversarial court
Usage tips
Formal
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Conflict Tone
The word 'adversarial' often sets a negative tone implying conflict and resistance.
The debate got heated and adversarial.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Physical
Adversarial does not mean physical fighting, but rather a clash of ideas or interests.
The adversarial discussions in the boardroom were about company policy.
Pro Tip 3/3Professional Settings
The term is common in formal and professional contexts, like debates or negotiations.
Her adversarial stance in negotiations earned her respect.
Compare with
antagonisticcombativecompetitiveconflictualcontentiouscontraryhostileoppose
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Video examples
Beth Noveck: Demand a...
about transparent government. Simply throwing data over the transom doesn't change how government works. It doesn't get anybody to do anything with that data to change lives, to solve problems, and it doesn't change government. What it does is it creates an adversarial relationship between civil society and government
Video examples
How we can protect truth...
And two specific technologies are going to make it worse. We are going to see the rise of a tremendous wave of synthetic media. Fake video, fake audio that is very convincing to the human eye. And this will powered by two technologies. The first of these is known as "generative adversarial networks."
Video examples
How forgiveness can...
if they hadn't had this process. And her high school has reduced suspensions by more than half through the use of this kind of restorative justice method. Restorative justice alternatives involve offenders and victims in communicating in ways that an adversarial and defensive process does not allow,
Video examples
Glenn Greenwald: Why...
You may be a person who, right now, doesn't want to engage in that behavior, but at some point in the future you might. Even if you're somebody who decides that you never want to, the fact that there are other people who are willing to and able to resist and be adversarial to those in power —
Video examples
The business case for...
And I remember sitting down, getting ready, and I decided I'm not going to order my favorite, which is you know, bacon and sausage and eggs. And I'm just going to stick to the pastries. But I have to admit, I was waiting for the adversarial discussion to happen. And it never did.
Video examples
Daniel H. Cohen: For...
Are the premises warranted? Are the inferences valid? Does the conclusion follow from the premises? No opposition, no adversariality -- not necessarily any arguing in the adversarial sense. But there's a third model to keep in mind that I think is going to be very helpful,
Video examples
Can you solve the stolen...
The situation resembles an adversarial game like chess – only here you can’t see the opponent’s position. To figure out the minimum number of rubies you’re guaranteed to win, you need to look for the worst case scenario, as if the merchant already knew your move
Video examples
Meet the microscopic...
That's how you feel now, but it's not going to be how you feel in the future. For the last 100 years, we've had an adversarial relationship with the microscopic life nearest us. If I told you there was a bug in your house or bacteria in your sink,
Video examples
How we take back the...
and that's to enable an adversarial press, to challenge the government, but also to work together with the government, to have a dialogue and debate about how we can inform the public about matters of vital importance
Video examples
Animal Life in the...
it's really really painful to to uh to get bit by them so yeah i think i i again i have nothing against ants like in my day-to-day life but uh i will say the most sort of adversarial relationship i've had with
Video examples
Beth Noveck: Demand a...
about transparent government. Simply throwing data over the transom doesn't change how government works. It doesn't get anybody to do anything with that data to change lives, to solve problems, and it doesn't change government. What it does is it creates an adversarial relationship between civil society and government
Video examples
How we can protect truth...
And two specific technologies are going to make it worse. We are going to see the rise of a tremendous wave of synthetic media. Fake video, fake audio that is very convincing to the human eye. And this will powered by two technologies. The first of these is known as "generative adversarial networks."
Video examples
How forgiveness can...
if they hadn't had this process. And her high school has reduced suspensions by more than half through the use of this kind of restorative justice method. Restorative justice alternatives involve offenders and victims in communicating in ways that an adversarial and defensive process does not allow,
Video examples
Glenn Greenwald: Why...
You may be a person who, right now, doesn't want to engage in that behavior, but at some point in the future you might. Even if you're somebody who decides that you never want to, the fact that there are other people who are willing to and able to resist and be adversarial to those in power —
Video examples
The business case for...
And I remember sitting down, getting ready, and I decided I'm not going to order my favorite, which is you know, bacon and sausage and eggs. And I'm just going to stick to the pastries. But I have to admit, I was waiting for the adversarial discussion to happen. And it never did.
Video examples
Daniel H. Cohen: For...
Are the premises warranted? Are the inferences valid? Does the conclusion follow from the premises? No opposition, no adversariality -- not necessarily any arguing in the adversarial sense. But there's a third model to keep in mind that I think is going to be very helpful,
Video examples
Can you solve the stolen...
The situation resembles an adversarial game like chess – only here you can’t see the opponent’s position. To figure out the minimum number of rubies you’re guaranteed to win, you need to look for the worst case scenario, as if the merchant already knew your move
Video examples
Meet the microscopic...
That's how you feel now, but it's not going to be how you feel in the future. For the last 100 years, we've had an adversarial relationship with the microscopic life nearest us. If I told you there was a bug in your house or bacteria in your sink,
Video examples
How we take back the...
and that's to enable an adversarial press, to challenge the government, but also to work together with the government, to have a dialogue and debate about how we can inform the public about matters of vital importance
Video examples
Animal Life in the...
it's really really painful to to uh to get bit by them so yeah i think i i again i have nothing against ants like in my day-to-day life but uh i will say the most sort of adversarial relationship i've had with
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
John McCain
American Politician
If you want to preserve - I'm very serious now - if you want to preserve democracy as we know it, you have to have a free and many times adversarial press. And without it, I am afraid that we would lose so much of our individual liberties over time. That's how dictators get started.
Quote examples
Louis de Bernieres
British Novelist
An adversarial family law system raises the stakes unnecessarily high, exacerbates the antagonism of the couples concerned, and is directly responsible for making it impossible for couples who would otherwise have reconciled to do so.
Quote examples
Glenn Greenwald
American Journalist
In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its unique ability to provide a truly adversarial check on those in power.
Quote examples
Arundhati Roy
Indian Novelist
Sometimes I think the world is divided into those who have a comfortable relationship with power and those who have a naturally adversarial relationship with power.
Quote examples
Roger Mudd
American Journalist
The relationship between press and politician - protected by the Constitution and designed to be happily adversarial - becomes sour, raw and confrontational.
Quote examples
Graham Linehan
Irish Comedian
Of course, I'm not saying that news interviews can't be adversarial. Sometimes, you have to be nasty Columbo or we'd never get to the truth.
Quote examples
Roy Barnes
American Politician
Business and the state have a common interest; not an adversarial interest.
Quote examples
Jane O'Meara Sanders
American Educator
The media characterizes every conversation as an adversarial one.
Quote examples
Kenneth Cole
American Designer
Twitter is a very powerful platform for adversarial feedback.
Quote examples
Mike Cernovich
American Writer
I view myself as having an adversarial approach to the media.
Quote examples
John McCain
American Politician
If you want to preserve - I'm very serious now - if you want to preserve democracy as we know it, you have to have a free and many times adversarial press. And without it, I am afraid that we would lose so much of our individual liberties over time. That's how dictators get started.
Quote examples
Louis de Bernieres
British Novelist
An adversarial family law system raises the stakes unnecessarily high, exacerbates the antagonism of the couples concerned, and is directly responsible for making it impossible for couples who would otherwise have reconciled to do so.
Quote examples
Glenn Greenwald
American Journalist
In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its unique ability to provide a truly adversarial check on those in power.
Quote examples
Arundhati Roy
Indian Novelist
Sometimes I think the world is divided into those who have a comfortable relationship with power and those who have a naturally adversarial relationship with power.
Quote examples
Roger Mudd
American Journalist
The relationship between press and politician - protected by the Constitution and designed to be happily adversarial - becomes sour, raw and confrontational.
Quote examples
Graham Linehan
Irish Comedian
Of course, I'm not saying that news interviews can't be adversarial. Sometimes, you have to be nasty Columbo or we'd never get to the truth.
Quote examples
Roy Barnes
American Politician
Business and the state have a common interest; not an adversarial interest.
Quote examples
Jane O'Meara Sanders
American Educator
The media characterizes every conversation as an adversarial one.
Quote examples
Kenneth Cole
American Designer
Twitter is a very powerful platform for adversarial feedback.
Quote examples
Mike Cernovich
American Writer
I view myself as having an adversarial approach to the media.
Example 1 of 10
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