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Catastrophic vs Adverse - What's the difference?

catastrophic | adverse | Related terms |

Catastrophic is a related term of adverse.


As adjectives the difference between catastrophic and adverse

is that catastrophic is of or pertaining to a catastrophe while adverse is unfavorable; antagonistic in purpose or effect; hostile; actively opposing one's interests or wishes; contrary to one's welfare; acting against; working in an opposing direction.

catastrophic

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of or pertaining to a catastrophe.
  • Disastrous; ruinous.
  • * 2009 : Stuart Heritage], [http://www.hecklerspray.com/ Hecklerspray] , Friday the 22nd of May in 2009 at 1 o’clock p.m., “[http://www.hecklerspray.com/jon-kate-latest-people-you-dont-know-do-crap-you-dont-care-about/200934378.php Jon & Kate Latest: People You Don’t Know Do Crap You Don’t Care About”
    • The reason why Jon & Kate Plus 8'' is such a hot topic is because it might all be a sham. It’s been claimed that Jon has a string of mistresses, that Kate had an affair with her bodyguard and that Baby Number Six''' is actually a shaved Ewok with a ' catastrophic heroin addiction. Or something.

    Synonyms

    * catastrophal

    Antonyms

    * anastrophic

    adverse

    English

    (wikipedia adverse)

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Unfavorable; antagonistic in purpose or effect; hostile; actively opposing one's interests or wishes; contrary to one's welfare; acting against; working in an opposing direction.
    • adverse criticism
  • * Southey
    • Happy were it for us all if we bore prosperity as well and wisely as we endure an adverse fortune.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011
    • , date=December 14 , author=Steven Morris , title=Devon woman jailed for 168 days for killing kitten in microwave , work=Guardian citation , page= , passage=He said Robins had not been in trouble with the law before and had no previous convictions. Jail would have an adverse effect on her and her three children as she was the main carer.}}
  • Opposed; contrary; opposing one's interests or desire.
    • adverse circumstances.
  • (not comparable) Opposite; confronting.
    • the adverse page
    the adverse party
  • * 1809 , , Google Books
    • Calpe's adverse height / must greet my sight

    Usage notes

    Adverse'' is sometimes confused with (averse), though the meanings are somewhat different. ''Adverse'' most often refers to things, denoting something that is in opposition to someone's interests — something one might refer to as an (adversity) or (adversary) — (''adverse winds''; ''an attitude adverse to our ideals''). ''Averse'' usually refers to people, and implies one has a distaste, disinclination, or (aversion) toward something (''a leader averse to war''; ''an investor averse to risk taking''). ''Averse'' is most often used with "''to''" in a construction like "''I am averse to…''". ''Adverse shows up less often in this type of construction, describing a person instead of a thing, and should carry a meaning of "actively opposed to" rather that "has an aversion to".

    Derived terms

    * adversely * adverseness

    Related terms

    * adversary * adversative * adversity * versus

    See also

    * averse

    Anagrams

    * * ----