adverse to + noun
Expressing opposition to something
Use to with policies, ideas, or situations.
Investors were adverse to sudden changes.
Adverse to, in, about, for or of?
Adverse most commonly takes to when describing opposition or dislike. Other prepositions usually belong to different sentence structures.
Quick answer
Which preposition follows adverse?
Use adverse to for opposition or dislike: adverse to change. Adverse can also appear before nouns, as in adverse weather. The combinations adverse in, adverse about, adverse for, and adverse of are generally not standard after the adjective.
She is adverse to taking unnecessary risks.
Many residents are adverse to the proposal.
Many residents are adverse to the proposal.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
adverse to + gerund
Talking about dislike of an action
A gerund often follows adverse to.
He is adverse to borrowing money.
adverse + noun
Describing harmful conditions
Adverse commonly modifies nouns directly.
The flight was delayed by adverse weather conditions.
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
adverse to
She is adverse to publicity.
opposed or resistant to something
adverse in
Adverse in this sense is not standard English.
generally incorrect after adverse
adverse about
Adverse about the plan is nonstandard.
not idiomatic after adverse
adverse for
Adverse for investors is unnatural in this structure.
use harmful to or bad for instead
adverse of
Adverse of is not used in standard English.
incorrect combination
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Using adverse instead of averse
Averse to is more common for personal dislike, though adverse to exists.
✕ He is adverse to loud music. ✓ He is averse to loud music.Using wrong prepositions
Adverse normally takes to when followed by an object.
✕ They are adverse about change. ✓ They are adverse to change.Confusing adjective positions
Adverse often directly modifies nouns.
✕ The conditions were adverse to travel weather. ✓ The weather conditions were adverse for travel.Quick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. She is adverse ___ major risks.
2. The region experienced adverse ___ conditions.
3. Which phrase is standard English?
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Frequently asked questions
Is adverse to the same as averse to?
They are similar, but averse to is more common for personal feelings.
Can adverse describe situations?
Yes. Adverse often means harmful or unfavourable, as in adverse conditions.
Is adverse for correct?
Usually no after the adjective. Use harmful to or bad for in many contexts.
Related preposition guides
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