inverse
adjective · noun
Simple meaning
Opposite in nature or effect or relation to another quantity.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
ihnvursSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ɪnˈvɝs
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
Opposite in nature or effect or relation to another quantity
“A term is in inverse proportion to another term if it increases (or decreases) as the other decreases (or increases).”
Opposite in effect, nature or order.
Reverse, opposite in order.
botany
Inverted; having a position or mode of attachment the reverse of that which is usual.
noun
Something inverted in sequence or character or effect
“When the direct approach failed he tried the inverse.”
An inverted state: a state in which something has been turned (properly) upside down or (loosely) inside out or backwards.
The result of an inversion, particularly
The reverse of any procedure or process.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Formality
- Technical
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Opposite in nature or effect or relation to another quantity
Used this way, inverse is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“A term is in inverse proportion to another term if it increases (or decreases) as the other decreases (or increases).”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
How It’s Used
The word’s distinct uses, one example each.
Opposite / reverseadjective
“A term is in inverse proportion to another term if it increases (or decreases) as the other decreases (or increases).”
Invertednoun
“When the direct approach failed he tried the inverse.”
More ways to use inverse
- “A term is in inverse proportion to another term if it increases (or decreases) as the other decreases (or increases).”adjective
- “When the direct approach failed he tried the inverse.”noun
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Opposite / reverse
Property / every
Other combinations
Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
In an inverse or contrary manner.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
The inverse function of the cotangent.
A function obtained by expressing the dependent variable of one function as the independent variable of another.
The inverse function of the secant.
The inverse function of the sine.
The inverse function of the tangent.
The inverse function of the cosine.
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Keep learning “inverse” by choosing the kind of practice you need next.
- Practice sentence writingWrite sentences with vocabulary and get instant feedback.
- Practice in contextAnswer short vocabulary questions drawn from real situations.
- Review vocabularyTest your recall and strengthen words over time.
- Practice typingType vocabulary in short rounds that draw from words you've learned and saved.
Want to type words like this one without looking at the keyboard? Each typing round draws from words you've learned, saved or need to review. Follow the free Learn to Type lessons and type your own vocabulary with confidence.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.