contravene

verb

con·​tra·​vene ˌkän-trə-ˈvēn 

contravened; contravening

transitive verb

1

: to go or act contrary to : violate

contravene a law

2

: to oppose in argument : contradict

contravene a proposition

contravener noun

Did you know?

Contravene is most often used in reference to laws. So a government may take a company to court claiming that its policies are in contravention of national labor laws. The contravention of copyright laws is a big topic today especially where electronic information is involved. And a country might be punished if a trade organization finds that it's contravening international trade agreements.

Synonyms of contravene

• violate

Choose the Right Synonym for contravene

deny, gainsay, contradict, contravene mean to refuse to accept as true or valid.

deny implies a firm refusal to accept as true, to grant or concede, or to acknowledge the existence or claims of.

denied the charges

gainsay implies disputing the truth of what another has said.

no one can gainsay her claims

contradict implies an open or flat denial.

her account contradicts his

contravene implies not so much an intentional opposition as some inherent incompatibility.

laws that contravene tradition

Examples of contravene in a Sentence

The overcrowded dance club contravened safety regulations.

the unauthorized reproduction of the image contravenes copyright laws

Recent Examples on the Web

Two years ago he was suspended for three months by the Cricket Regulator for betting on cricket between 2017 and 2019, contravening the game’s rules. — Paul Newman, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026

The ban contravenes advice from the World ​Health Organization, which advises against travel or trade restrictions with ​Congo, where officials are currently struggling to contain a large ⁠outbreak of Ebola. — Reuters, NBC news, 19 July 2026

His edict contravenes the language of the Constitution, the high court’s own rulings, legislation passed by Congress, and the consistent practice of previous Presidents. — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026

This bill would clearly contravene those decisions by mandating termination of US citizenship where an individual maintains another. — Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French contrevenir, from Late Latin contravenire, from Latin contra- + venire to come — more at come

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for contravene

• acridine
• acrolein
• adenine
• alkylene
• aniline
• anthracene
• aquiline
• asphaltene
• atlantean
• atrazine
• butadiene
• butylene