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
To the contrary, his administration has moved with all deliberate delay.
—
Daniel Kolkey, Oc Register, 9 Mar. 2026
All reports to the contrary are false.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026
Despite reports to the contrary, CBS Mornings host King is sticking with CBS News, The Wall Street Journal reported today.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
On the contrary, there seemed to be an upswell of women choosing to tell stories about bears in books, articles, essays, and radio and film documentaries.
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the contrary
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.
Daniel Kolkey, Oc Register, 9 Mar. 2026
All reports to the contrary are false.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2026
Despite reports to the contrary, CBS Mornings host King is sticking with CBS News, The Wall Street Journal reported today.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
On the contrary, there seemed to be an upswell of women choosing to tell stories about bears in books, articles, essays, and radio and film documentaries.
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
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 16 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
