adverse, adverse to, averse to

Although these words sound alike, they are not synonyms.

“Adverse” and “adverse to” refer to a thing or circumstance that is contrary, against or not in one’s favour.

• The adverse (contrary) wind delayed the sailors’ arrival.
• The mercenary felt the capital punishment law was adverse to (did not favour) his profession and his longevity.

“Averse to” reflects a person’s dislike of or inclination against an activity or situation.

• She rarely listened to the news because she was averse to hearing about conflict and bloodshed.
• Brad is not averse to manual labour.

It is a common error to use “adverse to” when “averse to” would be the correct choice.

• Incorrect: Extroverts are not adverse to being the centre of attention.
• Correct: Extroverts are not averse to being the centre of attention.