adjective

averse

uh-VURS

adjective

Strongly disliking or opposed to something.

"He's not averse to a bit of risk when it comes to investing."

"She has always been averse to public speaking."

How to Use Averse

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUnwilling or reluctant, often used with "to" or in the phrase "not averse to."

Common mistake

Don't confuse "averse" (unwilling) with "adverse" (harmful or unfavourable, as in "adverse weather").

Easily confused with

adverse →

Common pairings

risk-averse not averse to averse to change

more averse comparative, aversed past tense, averses singular, most averse superlative

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He's not _____ to a bit of risk when it comes to investing.

From Latin aversus, the past participle of avertere, "to turn away."

verse inverse reverse adverse diverse immerse universe converse perverse disperse traverse multiverse