the contrary
noun
: an opposite or different fact, event, or situation
He was sure his sister had made a mistake, but the contrary was true: she was right and he was wrong.
Examples of the contrary in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On the contrary, the Trump administration’s near-abandonment of U.S. foreign aid, its trade wars with historic allies, its indifference to defending democracy and human rights, and the mounting perception of corruption in the White House are likely to weaken America’s standing as a world leader.
—
Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025
This solution is not one that many politicians, on either side of the aisle, will be willing to embrace despite their claims to the contrary.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 23 June 2025
The decision was a major setback for the Adams administration, which had argued the jails’ problems could be handled in house, despite years of evidence to the contrary, as detailed in several dozen reports by the federal monitor appointed to track issues in the system.
—Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 21 June 2025
What Matt's doing is still really important, despite all stories to the contrary.
—EW.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for the contrary
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Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025
This solution is not one that many politicians, on either side of the aisle, will be willing to embrace despite their claims to the contrary.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 23 June 2025
The decision was a major setback for the Adams administration, which had argued the jails’ problems could be handled in house, despite years of evidence to the contrary, as detailed in several dozen reports by the federal monitor appointed to track issues in the system.
—Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 21 June 2025
What Matt's doing is still really important, despite all stories to the contrary.
—EW.com, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for the contrary
Cite this Entry
“The contrary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20contrary. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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