versus
gb/vˈɚsəz/ us/vˈɚsəz/
B1
English
~ 5100
kontra, ellen, szemben, összevet
B1
1
Usage pattern:
[side A] versus [side B]
Tonight's final is Spain versus Brazil.
A ma esti döntő: Spanyolország kontra Brazília.
The famous case Roe versus Wade changed U.S. law.
A híres Roe kontra Wade ügy megváltoztatta az amerikai jogot.
It will be Johnson versus Smith in the boxing ring tomorrow.
Our next game is Tigers versus Lions at the stadium.
The schedule lists a series of regional versus national teams.
Learner examples
Tomorrow we play City versus United.
Holnap City kontra United meccset játszunk.
The court heard Miller versus Green this morning.
A bíróság ma délelőtt a Miller kontra Green ügyet tárgyalta.
Next on TV is a match: Japan versus Korea.
In the story, it is man versus nature.
The poster says, "Red Team versus Blue Team."
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *versus* instead of *against* in normal speech (e.g., *I am versus you*). In everyday conversation, *against* is usually more natural, and *versus* is mostly used in sports, legal, or written contexts, often as *vs.*.
Meaning
one side against another
Collocations
team versus team
|player versus player
|country versus country
|Brown versus Board of Education
|X versus Y match
|case versus case
Synonyms
against (More general and far more common; used in most everyday contexts of conflict, while "versus" is typical in legal, sports, or written contexts.)
Antonyms
with (Shows being on the same side or together, instead of in conflict or competition.)
Themes
sports
|law
|competition
|politics
Definition
Used between two people or groups to show they are fighting, playing, or arguing against each other.
Used between two names or groups to show that they are opposing each other in a contest, conflict, or legal case.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
[option A] versus [option B]
We need to think about long-term goals versus short-term gains.
Mérlegelnünk kell a hosszú távú célokat a rövid távú haszonnal szemben.
The discussion focused on online education versus traditional classroom learning.
A megbeszélés középpontjában az online oktatás és a hagyományos tantermi tanulás összehasonlítása állt.
They argued about freedom of speech versus protection from harm.
Our study looks at city life versus rural life among young adults.
The manager weighed speed versus quality before choosing a plan.
Learner examples
We talked about work versus family time.
A munka kontra a családdal töltött idő témájáról beszéltünk.
The chart shows costs versus benefits.
A diagram a költségeket és az előnyöket veti össze.
The teacher asked us to write about city life versus village life.
You must choose safety versus risk in this decision.
I am thinking about renting versus buying a house.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes overuse *versus* in very casual speech where *or* or *and* would be more natural (e.g., *coffee versus tea?* can sound overly formal in casual talk; *coffee or tea?* is more common). They also confuse the spelling and write *verses* (parts of a song or poem) instead of *versus*.
Meaning
comparison or contrast of options
Collocations
quality versus price
|work versus life
|privacy versus security
|cost versus benefit
|speed versus accuracy
|theory versus practice
Synonyms
compared with (More explicitly about comparison; often slightly more formal and common in careful writing.)
|
as opposed to (Stresses difference or rejection of one option more strongly than neutral comparison.)
Antonyms
and (Links things together without highlighting contrast or choice between them.)
Themes
comparison
|debate
|business
|communication
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used between two ideas or choices to compare them or show they are different.
Used between two things to introduce a comparison or contrast, especially between alternative choices or opposing ideas.
Grammar
Dictionary form
versus
IPA
GB/vˈɚsəz/
US/vˈɚsəz/
Syllables & stress
versus (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (versus)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: versus
- Plural: versuses
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.