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noun

as in opposite
something that is as different as possible from something else the admonition that we should not return hate with hate, but rather with its contrary—love

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective contrary differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of contrary are antithetical, contradictory, and opposite. While all these words mean "being so far apart as to be or seem irreconcilable," contrary implies extreme divergence or diametrical opposition.

contrary assessments of the war situation

When is it sensible to use antithetical instead of contrary?

While in some cases nearly identical to contrary, antithetical stresses clear and unequivocal diametrical opposition.

a law that is antithetical to the very idea of democracy

In what contexts can contradictory take the place of contrary?

While the synonyms contradictory and contrary are close in meaning, contradictory applies to two things that completely negate each other so that if one is true or valid the other must be untrue or invalid.

made contradictory predictions about whether the market would rise or fall

When can opposite be used instead of contrary?

In some situations, the words opposite and contrary are roughly equivalent. However, opposite applies to things in sharp contrast or in conflict.

opposite views on foreign aid

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contrary
Adjective
Or to re-create, in Frankfurter Kreuz (Frankfurt Junction), 2023, the traffic patterns through a highway interchange known for its congestion, eliciting a contrary energy from the brushstrokes. Moritz Scheper, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2024 And only Trump has sought to do so in the face of contrary legislation. Scott R. Anderson, Foreign Affairs, 17 July 2020
Noun
Despite rumors to the contrary, a source told People in November that the relationship between Valente and Bündchen is strictly platonic and professional. Carrie Wittmer, Glamour, 18 Jan. 2023 Despite the pharmaceutical industry’s loud complaints to the contrary, the new law directing Medicare to negotiate drug prices may increase prices for some new drugs, congressional Medicare advisers said Friday. John Wilkerson, STAT, 13 Jan. 2023 See all Example Sentences for contrary 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrary
Adjective
  • Charismatic Leadership And Body Language The most magnetic business leaders have mastered the art of balancing two seemingly contradictory forces: receptivity and formidability.
    Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
  • Rachel Reeves has set herself the seemingly contradictory tasks of ending austerity in public services, boosting growth and delivering fiscal stability to reassure markets that Labour can be trusted with the UK’s finances.
    Samuel Burke, Fortune Europe, 29 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • The mission was challenging, and these mischievous little models followed their own dance.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
  • Ferris Bueller is fun, mischievous, an expert on shortcuts.
    Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The current state of his ’stache, more tweezed than Hughes’s rebellious bushy caterpillar, is owed to that role.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
  • Tired of the toxic culture within the group, Veronica teams up with her rebellious new boyfriend, J.D. (played by Christian Slater), and things quickly spiral out of control as their plot to take down the Heathers turns deadly.
    Jane LaCroix, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • But, instead, Johnson claimed, the president and others have done the opposite and tried to create chaos.
    Greg Wehner, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024
  • That said, in the race for revenue in college sports, many schools are doing the opposite.
    Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 18 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Perfect for those naughty and nice, vacation destinations throughout the world are offering guests a holiday extravaganza designed to entertain and amaze.
    Roger Sands, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
  • My sense is that people infatuated with this tinpot Marxist analysis enjoy the rush of feeling like the naughty provocateur without paying any real price for transgression.
    Lily Burana, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The rebel spark in my heart, though, wasn’t completely snuffed.
    Lili Anolik, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024
  • Over the past year, the conflict between rebel forces and government troops in Myanmar has brought new refugees to the settlements.
    Maria Isabel Barros Guinle, NPR, 1 Sep. 2024
Adjective
  • Zach Wilson’s younger brother settled in as the game progressed, but then threw a bad INT in the fourth to end Utah’s comeback attempt.
    Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 16 Nov. 2024
  • As the screw twists and turns, the Broken Rock, led on the show by the Chairman Thomas Rainwater, find themselves on both the dealing and receiving ends of bad land deals and villainous behavior from local and out-of-state actors.
    Ryleigh Nucilli, Outside Online, 14 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Even so, Mars’ defiant punk energy can draw some stares from the neighbors back home.
    Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
  • Her eyes are an expressive window into the character’s lifetime of hurt and exclusion or defiant pride and anger, sometimes spanning that range and more within one scene or song or single line reading.
    David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near contrary

Cite this Entry

“Contrary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrary. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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