Synonyms of contradictory

contradictory

adjective

ˌkän-trə-ˈdik-t(ə-)rē 

as in contrary

being as different as possible

contradictory predictions regarding stock prices that were of no help to investors at all

Synonyms & Similar Words

• contrary
• opposite
• unfavorable
• antithetical
• negative
• hostile
• diametrical
• polar
• adverse
• diametric
• divergent
• antipodal
• antagonistic
• antipodean
• counter
• unlike
• disparate
• dissimilar
• cross
• reverse
• alien
• inverse
• antipathetic
• converse
• obverse
• unalike

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• similar
• analogous
• like
• same
• noncontradictory
• identical
• equivalent
• alike
• synonymous

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

Recent Examples of contradictory

During a burgeoning measles outbreak, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has continued to make contradictory remarks, publicly endorsing the measles vaccine while raising doubts about its safety. —Jerome Groopman, The New York Review of Books, 22 Apr. 2025

For one, mosquitoes breed in water so creating a spray or setting out coffee water may have contradictory effects. —Lauren David, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2025

Young men are navigating a cultural economy filled with contradictory doctrines, deepened by a crisis of connection that's drawing them down the manosphere funnel. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025

In the comments, the creator posted several slightly contradictory comments. —Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025