adverse v. averse

Both adverse and averse deal with opposition. Adverse means ‘unfavorable’, ‘antagonistic’, or ‘opposing one’s interests’. Averse means ‘feeling opposed or disinclined’. Things (e.g., criticism, weather) create adverse circumstances for people, but people are averse to things (e.g., change, risk, smoking). Averse is often used in the construction ‘not averse to’ to indicate willingness or enjoyment. ‘She was not averse to an occasional drink.’