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
-
Cho's team has demanded the death sentence for Yoon by viewing his martial law imposition as a rebellion.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026 -
The Gettysburg campaign was, in other words, a strategic offensive meant to advance the overall goals of the rebellion if not win the conflict altogether.—
Jamelle Bouie,
Mercury News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In contrast, results for robotaxis were mixed, with slightly more support (37%) expressed overall than opposition (35%), while a large group (28%) described themselves as ‘undecided’.—
Laurie Winkless,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The proposal is already facing stiff opposition from business groups.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Activists arrested in defiance of The Homeland have had their portraits altered via AI.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
-
This, too, gave audiences a sense of being in-the-moment, offering a contemporary upgrade for our current times, showing a bit of defiance, a bit of dishevelment and a sense of personality that’s often lost in the polished, proper world of high fashion.—
Brett F. Braley-Palko,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Though the Durutti Column had been a disaster, Wilson was fascinated by the guitarist, who admired punk’s willfulness even though his own musical taste tended toward jazz, blues, and the classical tradition.—
Brad Shoup,
Pitchfork,
24 Jan. 2026
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The orphan’s predicament is as much a matter of willfulness as of survival—inseparable, as in the works of Charles Dickens, from a dream of being somehow rescued by the idea of an adult world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Ellison struck a middle ground between the famed Sahlins-Close polarity.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Too much relational processing can reduce polarity, which is the dynamic tension that fuels attraction.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The natural obstinacy and rebelliousness of Israa’s teenage years are hyperaccelerated by culture clashes with both her family and the other kids around her.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
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This transit stokes your sense of independence and even rebelliousness, inspiring you to strike out against convention and innovate more than ever.—
Maressa Brown,
InStyle,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Accompanying this diagnosis is a sense of disrespect from political elites and Democrats.—
Daniel Yudkin,
The Atlantic,
24 Jan. 2026
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Club Brugge supporters who wore ‘mankinis’ made famous by the satirical character Borat for their team’s Champions League clash against Kairat Almaty on Tuesday have been jailed in Kazakhstan for five days for showing disrespect, Belgian media reported on Thursday.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
23 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Contrariness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrariness. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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