contrariwise

adverb

ˈkän-ˌtrer-ē-ˌwīz How to pronounce contrariwise (audio)
Definition of contrariwisenext
as in conversely
just the opposite being true the rock singer is hardly a carouser; contrariwise, he totally abstains from alcohol

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrariwise
  1. conversely
  2. again
Adverb
  • Inconsistency, conversely, will erode trust faster than it was earned.
    — Kate Barton, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Each critic portrayed the historical monument as an object of reverence owing to age, with specific reference to the psycho-historical implications of restoration or, conversely, of neglect.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of conversely
Adverb
  • When aviation outgrew the Commerce Department, Congress consolidated oversight into a single independent agency in 1938 and then again in 1958 under the FAA, which moved quickly to strengthen air traffic management and safety rules.
    — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Then again, Ball and essentially every other player in the league have gotten away with traveling with the basketball throughout their NBA careers.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of again
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.

Browse Nearby Words

contrariness
contrariwise
contrary
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contrariwise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrariwise. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of asunder

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 23

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All