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, Lázár has topped the German best-seller list for twenty-nine weeks and is set to be translated into more than twenty-five languages.
—
Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Textures Bringing a new depth has always started with the dials, richly decorated or on the contrary subtly detailed through a host of crafts, from engraving and enamel to gem-setting and guilloché.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 1 May 2026
On the contrary, the Derby approached Woodford’s parent company, Brown-Forman (which also owns brands like Jack Daniel’s and Old Forester), about the opportunity.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 29 Apr. 2026
After downplaying the prospect of a new album in recent interviews, Grande began posting hints to the contrary in March, like a flower emoji in her Instagram bio.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the contrary
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Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Textures Bringing a new depth has always started with the dials, richly decorated or on the contrary subtly detailed through a host of crafts, from engraving and enamel to gem-setting and guilloché.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 1 May 2026
On the contrary, the Derby approached Woodford’s parent company, Brown-Forman (which also owns brands like Jack Daniel’s and Old Forester), about the opportunity.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 29 Apr. 2026
After downplaying the prospect of a new album in recent interviews, Grande began posting hints to the contrary in March, like a flower emoji in her Instagram bio.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 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 10 May. 2026.
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