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versus

versus

666 2.3
To say that two people, teams, or ideas are against each other
  • adposition
  • /ˈvɜr.səs/
translation icon : contra
  • The importance of depth versus breadth is another component of the professional development program.
  • public versus private
  • treatment versus control
  • versus control

I like to create value versus take from other people.

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Examples

  • Different mechanisms may be effective for conservation on public versus private lands or waters.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Championship round, Germany versus U.S.A.

  • It's just a person versus time, you know?

  • Do I want more of that versus just go, go, go?

  • I like to create value versus take from other people.

  • I would rather go green versus brown if you had to choose.

  • Now is the battle of good versus evil.

  • Look at the classes that students consider "easy" versus those that they consider "hard."

    Academic text (2011)
  • OK, so David, Leeds versus Arsenal this coming weekend.

  • In the finals, it will be the champion team Argentina versus the runner-up team France.

Synonyms

against
vsversus
683 1.0

Compared with something to show a difference

expresses clear opposition or competition rather than a neutral comparison
contra
vsversus
  • Formal
7.4

A word showing disagreement with something, often in formal writing

is used generally for opposition or competition in everyday or sporting contexts
adversus
vsversus
  • Archaic
9.9

Used between two legal parties to mean against in case names

is the ordinary term for opposition or competition outside legal naming

Compounds

A struggle to finish something before time runs out

Surface Forms

versus main

Etymology

Versus comes from the Latin word vertere, which means 'to turn', and it is related to English words like reverse that keep the idea of turning. Because of this 'turning' idea, versus came to mean 'against' or 'in opposition', so we use it to show a contest or contrast between two sides.