as in contradictory
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1
as in refuting
to make an assertion that is contrary to one made by (another)
no matter what I say, you always have to contradict me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in denying
to declare not to be true
his account contradicted the story that they had gotten earlier
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contradicting
Steven T. Dennis, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Barack Obama’s administration detained unaccompanied children and families despite humanitarian rhetoric, contradicting Clinton’s assertion that children were not placed in detention camps.
—Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Was Louise the teacher contradicting Louise the poet?
—Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
But Democrats pressed him on his testimony contradicting his prior statements and the fact the visit came after Epstein had already been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 11 Feb. 2026
Adapting and expanding upon a lean Don Winslow novella, Layton adds many sometimes unnecessarily complex ingredients to the pot, with characters intersecting and allegiances and motivations often contradicting one another.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 Feb. 2026
Last year, Michigan’s groundhog predicted an early spring, contradicting Punxsutawney Phil.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Federal and state officials have offered contradicting accounts of those videos.
—Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Jan. 2026
The group says that carveout opened a political pathway to faster access to federal records, contradicting FOIA’s requirement that agencies handle requests in a content-neutral manner.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Also corrosive — the contradicting and quick-changing statements.
—Steven T. Dennis, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
New details in an ICE statement appear aimed at contradicting mounting criticism about his care while in ICE custody.
—Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Barack Obama’s administration detained unaccompanied children and families despite humanitarian rhetoric, contradicting Clinton’s assertion that children were not placed in detention camps.
—Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Was Louise the teacher contradicting Louise the poet?
—Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
But Democrats pressed him on his testimony contradicting his prior statements and the fact the visit came after Epstein had already been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 11 Feb. 2026
Adapting and expanding upon a lean Don Winslow novella, Layton adds many sometimes unnecessarily complex ingredients to the pot, with characters intersecting and allegiances and motivations often contradicting one another.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 Feb. 2026
Last year, Michigan’s groundhog predicted an early spring, contradicting Punxsutawney Phil.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Federal and state officials have offered contradicting accounts of those videos.
—Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Jan. 2026
The group says that carveout opened a political pathway to faster access to federal records, contradicting FOIA’s requirement that agencies handle requests in a content-neutral manner.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 10 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contradicting
Adjective
-
Russia continues daily aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities, killing and wounding civilians as both sides make contradictory claims about military progress.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
There are certain eras which are too complex, too deafened by contradictory historical and intellectual experiences, to hear the voice of sanity.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But the company is refuting the claims.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
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But Kennedy was equally as defiant and doubled down on his stance, strongly refuting the allegations directed towards him.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There’s no denying that the bob remains the haircut of the moment.—
Fiona Embleton,
Glamour,
6 Mar. 2026
-
There is, however, no denying certain gains.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But there’s something equally pleasurable—and more rare—about a play that pulls off the opposite trick, that revels in the way family members can love one another, can stay connected and build instead of destroying, even amid loss and uncertainty.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
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The reason for this is that, unlike everyday magnets, neighboring magnetic moments in antiferromagnets point in opposite directions and cancel each other out.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Ted Mesiacos, 3rd Ward, voted against the program after similarly questioning why the city was starting its own when the state already had a similar initiative.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Older siblings or classmates might drop hints that leave children questioning what to believe during their Easter egg hunt.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some African governments are rejecting American health funding agreements over data and privacy concerns.—
Adrian Elimian,
semafor.com,
6 Mar. 2026
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Saying no can feel a bit like rejecting the praise itself.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Elward said Traynere was using the email to gain a political advantage and learn what members of the opposing party were thinking.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
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In the game, when a player kills multiple opponents without also dying, they are rewarded with the ability to conduct a missile strike to exterminate an opposing team.—
Casey Ryan Kelly,
The Conversation,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contradicting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contradicting. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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