What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
adverse
Example
The company faced adverse market conditions due to the pandemic. [adverse: adjective]
Example
The medication had adverse effects on her health. [adverse: adjective]
negative
Example
She had a negative attitude towards the project from the beginning. [negative: adjective]
Example
The test results came back negative for any signs of disease. [negative: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Negative is more commonly used than adverse in everyday language. Negative is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while adverse is less common and often used in specific contexts such as medicine, law, or business.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between adverse and negative?
Adverse has a more formal and technical connotation than negative. While adverse is often used in formal contexts, negative can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
