averse
a·verse/əˈvɜː(ɹ)s/adjective
averse is spelled A-V-E-R-S-E: 6 letters and 2 syllables (a·verse). It appears 1.1 times per million words in written English, the 26,776th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). People search “adverse vs averse” about 4,400 times a month (Google, United States). As an adjective, averse means “Having a repugnance or opposition of mind” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in averse?
| Letters | 6: A-V-E-R-S-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: a·verse |
| In writing | 1.1 times per million words; the 26,776th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Pairs people search | |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); Bing searches in the United States: the average month from September 2025 to August 2026 (Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, read September 30, 2026); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is averse?
Averse appears 1.1 times per million words in written English, the 26,776th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce averse?
- UK /əˈvɜː(ɹ)s/
Averse has 2 syllables, split a·verse in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-averse.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with averse
Word pairs people search, with the monthly searches for “a vs b” (G: Google, B: Bing, United States).
Sources: Google and Bing searches (September 2025 to August 2026, through DataForSEO); English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
What rhymes with averse?
2 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as averse from its last stressed vowel (/ɜs/, British pronunciation):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of averse
- more averse comparative
- most averse superlative
- averses present, singular, he/she/it
- aversing participle, present
- aversed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does averse mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Having a repugnance or opposition of mind.
The board is not averse to further talks.
- 2
Turned away or backward.
- 3
obsoleteLying on the opposite side (to or from).
- 4
Aversant; of a hand: turned so as to show the back.
verb
- 1
obsoleterareTo turn away.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Averse in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense having opposition of mind:
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does averse come from?
From Latin aversus, past participle of avertere (“to avert”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).