1
as in rebellion
refusal to obey
cursed the contrariness of her beloved mutt when it refused to come back inside the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opposition
the quality or state of being as different as possible
a contrariness between his professed altruism and his blatant selfishness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrariness
Noun
-
For the dandy, fashion was a vehicle for both self-expression and a subtle form of rebellion against societal norms.—
Ty Gaskins,
Vogue,
29 Apr. 2025 -
The seeds of rebellion continue to be planted, with multiple storylines weaving together in tense standoffs that will keep both imperials and agitators on edge.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Kehlani has also used their social media to indicate opposition to Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip and ongoing military campaign there, as well as to call out other musicians for being silent on the issue.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
-
On the day that Lamont unveiled his 2019 budget proposal, some Republican legislators responded in the historic Hall of the House by drinking from large 7/11 Double Gulp cups of soda to show their opposition to the tax.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Even though the Administration admitted to deporting Abrego Garcia by mistake, Trump is refusing to take any steps to bring him back, in open defiance of the Supreme Court and other federal court rulings.—
Kica Matos,
Time,
2 May 2025
-
Barragan said he was shaped by his upbringing in the Kern County town of Delano, where his family was active in the United Farm Workers movement that staged marches, boycotts and strikes in defiance of powerful Central Valley growers in the 1960s and ‘70s.—
Libor Jany,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Here's how… Reverse the polarity of the spoiler flow!—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
26 Apr. 2025
-
Rather than viewing these as problems to solve, effective leaders embrace them as polarities to be managed dynamically.—
Mark Greeven,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
April 21, 2025 Regardless of one’s position on the war in Ukraine, the president has shown a stunning disrespect for a world leader, an unprecedented bow to Russia’s leader, and a complete disregard for diplomacy.—
Paul Bedard,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Apr. 2025
-
The vice president accused Ukraine's leader of showing disrespect to the president and of insufficient gratitude to the U.S. for its help.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Apr. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Contrariness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrariness. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share