1
as in contradictory
being as different as possible
the other jurors seemed sure the defendant was guilty, but I came to the contrary conclusion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mischievous
engaging in or marked by childish misbehavior
a contrary child who wouldn't behave
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in rebellious
given to resisting authority or another's control
the contrary soldier is facing a court-martial for insubordination
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in opposite
something that is as different as possible from something else
the admonition that we should not return hate with hate, but rather with its contrary—love
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contrary
Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 29 July 2025
Gordon Pennycook: In general, people who believe conspiracies often have contrary beliefs.
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 22 July 2025
Raja Shehadeh, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2023
And, it hadn’t been endorsed by big companies such as Pfizer, despite the company's claims to the contrary.
—Sabrina Talbert, Women's Health, 23 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for contrary
Adjective
After searching anxiously for the principles on which a contrary opinion may be supported, none have been found which appear of sufficient force to maintain the opposite doctrine.
—Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 29 July 2025
Gordon Pennycook: In general, people who believe conspiracies often have contrary beliefs.
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 22 July 2025
Noun
Soldiers, to the contrary, have regularly stood by as settlers engage in wanton violence against Palestinians.
—Raja Shehadeh, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2023
And, it hadn’t been endorsed by big companies such as Pfizer, despite the company's claims to the contrary.
—Sabrina Talbert, Women's Health, 23 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for contrary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrary
Adjective
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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
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The Fed is pursuing two contradictory policies at the same time.—
George Calhoun,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Late Thursday, the company released in China the newest Labubu dolls, rabbit-ish toys that have pointed ears, jagged teeth and a mischievous grin.—
Yue Wang,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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Many brushed aside the cheeky clip as mischievous teasing between teammates at the time.—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Taking inspiration from the the Jolly Roger, this 44mm watch has both military functionality and a rebellious spirit, with a blackout dial punctuated by a luminous skull-and-crossbones emblem at 9 o’clock.—
Matthew Catellier,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
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Related Stories The film centers on 12-year-old Janna, who embarks on a journey toward Mecca to preform Hajj with her strict grandmother Sitti and rebellious 18-year-old sister Sarah.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Following a Week 1 loss to Appalachian State, where the scoreboard wasn’t indicative of how lopsided the game was, Saturday night’s matchup was the opposite.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Sep. 2025
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The view of experts is the opposite.—
Brian Domitrovic,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Now, the hit show is getting a naughty makeover as a musical.—
Leah Olajide,
Freep.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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Spencer crafts a delightful enemies-to-lovers romp with enough naughty tennis and pickleball puns to fill a ball machine.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Gilroy’s version was an origin story tracing the making of a revolutionary, the education of Cassian Andor as a scruffy, reluctant malcontent who is radicalized into a rebel leader.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
13 Aug. 2025
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Originally, the many rebel groups fighting Assad’s forces included both secular and Islamic militias.—
Rami Zeedan,
The Conversation,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This was a classic Smith performance with tons of yardage and some risky throws with both good and bad results.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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You were called something much worse, and [it was] accepted.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The trio – who had never appeared together in public before – formed the defiant face of an emerging bloc of illiberal leaders determined to push back against Western rules and tilt the global balance of power in their favor.—
Nectar Gan,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
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While Massie remains defiant, the episode highlights how Trump’s threats alone can destabilize even entrenched incumbents.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contrary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrary. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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