Thesaurus
Synonyms & Antonyms of contrary
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
being as different as possible
- the other jurors seemed sure the defendant was guilty, but I came to the contrary conclusion
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2
engaging in or marked by childish misbehavior
- a contrary child who wouldn't behave
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- defiant,
- disrespectful,
- ill-mannered,
- ill-natured,
- impolite,
- improper,
- impudent,
- indecorous,
- insolent,
- rude,
- uncouth,
- unmannerly
- disobedient,
- headstrong,
- intractable,
- obstreperous,
- recalcitrant,
- refractory,
- transgressing,
- unruly,
- untoward,
- willful
- (or wilful)
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3
given to resisting authority or another's control
- the contrary soldier is facing a court-martial for insubordination
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contrary
nounSynonyms & Antonyms of contrary (Entry 2 of 2)
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 for contrary
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for contrary
The first known use of contrary was in the 13th century
See more words from the same century