Synonym Chooser

How does the verb contradict differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of contradict are contravene, deny, and gainsay. While all these words mean "to refuse to accept as true or valid," contradict implies an open or flat denial.

her account contradicts his

In what contexts can contravene take the place of contradict?

Although the words contravene and contradict have much in common, contravene implies not so much an intentional opposition as some inherent incompatibility.

laws that contravene tradition

When could deny be used to replace contradict?

The synonyms deny and contradict are sometimes interchangeable, but deny implies a firm refusal to accept as true, to grant or concede, or to acknowledge the existence or claims of.

denied the charges

When would gainsay be a good substitute for contradict?

The words gainsay and contradict can be used in similar contexts, but gainsay implies disputing the truth of what another has said.

no one can gainsay her claims

Example 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 contradict Dash camera video, which recorded a portion of the incident, contradicted Lesch’s statements to police, prosecutors said. Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2025 According to a press statement, the team behind the study found that their engine often contradicted the basic laws of thermodynamics. Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025 This, however, contradicts Prince Harry’s own words about the subject of children. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 19 Oct. 2025 Arrest of Massachusetts teen A 13-year-old in Everett, Massachusetts, was detained by ICE and moved to a different state last week in a case in which local officials have contradicted a key statement from a DHS official. Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for contradict
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contradict
Verb
  • In their letter Tuesday, Smith's attorneys sought to refute a narrative stemming from a document released by the FBI on the eve of Attorney General Pam Bondi's appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this month.
    Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Like Dunbar’s speakers, Hughes’s dispossessed have no way out, and the poem implicitly refutes optimism regarding the Great Migration and racial progress.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Rose has denied many of the allegations and the case is ongoing.
    Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • At that meeting, Buchanan's reappointment to a full five-year term on the housing authority's board was rejected in a 6-2 decision, with two city directors absent.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Scholtes rejected a second-degree murder plea deal in March 2025 that would have resulted in a sentence of 10 to 25 years, according to previous reporting by The Arizona Republic.
    Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 23 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contradict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contradict. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on contradict

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!