Which to use
“adversary” is a noun and “adversely” is an adverb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #19,752
- “adversary” frequency rank
- #20,279
- “adversely” frequency rank
- 40031
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | adversary | adversely |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | An opponent or rival. | In an adverse manner. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set adversary and adversely apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Our dataset has no pronunciation recorded for both members, so the reliable separator here is grammatical: adversary is anoun and adverselyanadverb. On the page they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 40031, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
adversary is recorded at frequency rank #19,752, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˈæd.və.sɛɹi/. adversely is at rank #20,279, tagged as anadv.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 40031, this pair ranks #271,297 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of adversary vs adversely
Shared letters: adersvy. Private to "adversary": -. Private to "adversely": l.
"adversary" · 9 letters · shape VCCVCCVCV · "adversely" · 9 letters · shape VCCVCCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "adversary" and "adversely" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "adversary" or "adversely"?
Remembering adversary vs adversely
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “adversary”; for an adverb, it's “adversely”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “adversary” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable