Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective contradictory differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of contradictory are antithetical, contrary, and opposite. While all these words mean "being so far apart as to be or seem irreconcilable," contradictory applies to two things that completely negate each other so that if one is true or valid the other must be untrue or invalid.

made contradictory predictions about whether the market would rise or fall

When can antithetical be used instead of contradictory?

The synonyms antithetical and contradictory are sometimes interchangeable, but antithetical stresses clear and unequivocal diametrical opposition.

a law that is antithetical to the very idea of democracy

When is it sensible to use contrary instead of contradictory?

While the synonyms contrary and contradictory are close in meaning, contrary implies extreme divergence or diametrical opposition.

contrary assessments of the war situation

Where would opposite be a reasonable alternative to contradictory?

The meanings of opposite and contradictory largely overlap; however, opposite applies to things in sharp contrast or in conflict.

opposite views on foreign aid

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 contradictory Whether gazing from Gellért Hill or haggling for paprika in the Great Market Hall—the city reveals itself in fragments—intimate, contradictory, and impossible to forget. Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 However, across herbals throughout history, the pomegranate was used in seemingly contradictory ways. Demir Alp, JSTOR Daily, 29 Aug. 2025 Swift has had contradictory things to say about the subject of kids in the past, something a lot of women will relate to. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 28 Aug. 2025 Still, Republicans can likely continue to hold contradictory positions because most electors don't have the time to analyze the logic behind political claims, Hershey said. Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for contradictory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contradictory
Adjective
  • Any contrary assertion is provably false.
    Mikai Bruce, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Each makes its contrary unreal, even absurd.
    Roy Scranton August 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Newton’s third law of motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
    Carl Anka, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
  • In the potentially new 2nd District, politically opposite Marin and Modoc counties would be lumped together for the first time since the Gilded Age.
    David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • According to a Pew Research Center survey, half of Americans hold an unfavorable opinion of the Supreme Court.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The latest national polls from groups like Reuters/Ipsos, Civiqs, AP/NORC, Gallup and more have the president's overall approval rating marked as unfavorable once again.
    Joyce Orlando, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But these charmingly casual houses, many of them centuries old, come with a rigid spatial order that is antithetical to modern lifestyles.
    Joseph Giovannini, Architectural Digest, 4 Sep. 2025
  • And subcultures were visually distinct and culturally antithetical.
    Kian Bakhtiari, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Contradictory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contradictory. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on contradictory

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