4 syllables: Ad, ver, sar, ies. Stress on Ad.
AD-vur-ser-eez
/ˈædvɚˌsɛɹiz/
Adversaries is pronounced AD-vur-ser-eez (/ˈædvɚˌsɛɹiz/). It has four syllables (Ad-ver-sar-ies), with the stress on "Ad". Adversaries is the plural noun for individuals or groups that act as opponents or opponents in conflict. The term conveys a sense of organized opposition, often used in political, military, or competitive contexts. It emphasizes contention and confrontation between two sides or parties.
nounAdversaries is the plural noun for individuals or groups that act as opponents or opponents in conflict. The term conveys a sense of organized opposition, often used in political, military, or competitive contexts. It emphasizes contention and confrontation between two sides or parties.
"The adversaries negotiated a ceasefire after weeks of escalating tension."
"Corporate espionage exposed how rival adversaries attempted to undermine the merger."
"In the debate, the adversaries challenged each other with sharp, well-prepared arguments."
Pronounce as /ˈæd.vəˌsɛərˌiz/ in US and UK variants, with the main stress on the first syllable: AD-ver-sair-iz. In many US accents the middle is reduced to /vɚ/ and the final is a clear /iz/. Audio reference: use Pronounce or Forvo to hear US and UK recordings; aim for a crisp initial /æ/ then a schwa-like /ə/ in the second syllable, then /ˌsɛər/ or /ˌsɛr/ depending on rhoticity, and end with /ɪz/.
Two frequent missteps: (1) Misplacing the primary stress, saying ad-VER-sar-ies, which flattens the word; ensure the strong first stress on AD- and a secondary on the third syllable. (2) Mispronouncing the middle vowel cluster; people may say /ˈæd.vəˈsiː.ɪz/ or /ˈæd.vərˌsiː.ɪz/. Corrective tip: keep /ˈæd/ crisp, then reduce the second syllable to /və/ or /vər/, and target /ˌsɛər/ or /ˌsɛr/ for the third syllable before the final /iz/. Practice listening with tight minimal pairs.
In US English, you’ll hear rhotic /r/ in the second syllable with /ˈæd.vɚˌsɛr.iz/. UK speakers often reduce /ɪ/ and may have a non-rhotic /ˈæd.vəˌsɛːˌraɪz/ or /ˈæd.vəˌsær.iz/, depending on region; the final -ies tends to be /-iz/ with a shorter final vowel. Australian tends to be vowel-shifted toward /æ/ or /ɛ/ in the first syllable and a clear /ɪz/ ending; some speakers merge /ˈæd.vɪˈsæː.ɹiz/. Overall, rhoticity and vowel length differ, with UK often less rhotic than US.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic rhythm and the cluster /ˈæd.vəˌsɛərˌiz/. The mid syllable can reduce quickly, and the final -aries can sound like -ér-iz in rapid speech. Also, the presence of the /s/ before the /ɛər/ can tempt a /ˈæd.væsˌær.iz/ mispronunciation. Focus on the secondary stress placement and the subtle vowel shifts in connected speech; practice by chunking into AD-versaries and rehearse the transition between the second and third syllables with a light /ɹ/ or /r/ depending on accent.
In standard usage, the second syllable is often a schwa or a rhotacized /vər/ in US English, so you hear /ˈæd.vəˌsɛər.iz/ or /ˈæd.vɚˌsɛr.iz/. The /s/ starts the third syllable, so don’t merge /s/ with the /ər/; keep a slight pause or boundary to clearly articulate /ˌsɛər/. Your mouth should move from a relaxed mid central vowel to a crisp /s/ onset, then into the /ɛər/ vowel.
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Adversaries comes from the French adversaire, from Latin adversarius, meaning a rival or opponent. The root is ad- (toward) + ver- (to turn/toward) combined with -arius (a noun-forming suffix denoting belonging or connected with). In Latin, adversarius described someone who faces another in combat or dispute; in Late Latin it broadened to denote someone who opposes another party, and by the 16th century English borrowed adversary/adversaries to indicate an opposing party in a dispute. The plural form adversaries emerged with standard English pluralization of -ary nouns in the 17th–18th centuries, retaining the sense of multiple opponents rather than a single adversary. The word has kept a formal, sometimes legal or strategic tone, and appears across political, military, and competitive discourse. Over time, adversaries has broadened from literal combatants to any competing forces in business, sports, or public life, while preserving its core notion of opposition, conflict, and a dynamic between two or more sides facing off. First known use in English records traces to the 16th century, with early usage aligning with church or legal disputes before expanding to modern, broader contexts of rivalry and antagonism.
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Words that rhyme with "Adversaries"
-ers sounds
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