con·trary
ˈkän-ˌtrer-ē 
-ˌtre-rē
plural contraries
1
: a fact or condition incompatible with another : opposite
—usually used with the
2
: one of a pair of opposites
3
a
: a proposition (see proposition entry 1 sense 2a) so related to another that though both may be false they cannot both be true compare subcontrary
b
: either of two terms (such as good and evil) that cannot both be affirmed of the same subject
con·trary
ˈkän-ˌtrer-ē
-ˌtre-rē,
sense 4 often
kən-ˈtrer-ē
1
: being so different as to be at opposite extremes : opposite
come to the contrary conclusion
went off in contrary directions
also
: being opposite to or in conflict with each other
contrary viewpoints
2
: being not in conformity with what is usual or expected
actions contrary to company policy
contrary evidence
3
: unfavorable
—used of wind or weather
4
: temperamentally unwilling to accept control or advice
con·trary
ˈkän-ˌtrer-ē
-ˌtre-rē,
also kən-ˈtrer-ē
Synonyms
Examples of contrary in a Sentence
Noun
As kiss-and-tell books go, "Opening Arguments" by Jeffrey Toobin has few, if any, deep and sensuous secrets to reveal—this despite many news stories to the contrary.
—
Nina Totenberg, New York Times Book Review, March 31, 1991
He was not, despite the mythology he and his press agents so assiduously manufactured, a risk taker. On the contrary, he was more often timid to the point of fecklessness.
—Christopher Buckley, New York Times Book Review, 4 Nov. 1990
Other men—a surprising number of them—do not feel anger or blame. On the contrary, they feel a strong blood tie to their fathers, and to them the discipline was a minor thing.
—Robert Bly, Iron John, 1990
"Is this the girl who has moved into Villa Villekulla?" asked one of the policemen. "Quite the contrary," said Pippi. "This is a tiny little auntie who lives on the third floor at the other end of the town."
—Astrid Lindgren, Pippi Longstocking, (1950) 1978
the admonition that we should not return hate with hate, but rather with its contrary—love
Adjective
Kicking Wolf was a very contrary man—he did as he pleased.
—Larry McMurtry, Dead Man's Walk, 1995
At sunrise 4 January she set sail, and the homeward passage began. Two days later, Columbus sighted Pinta sailing in a contrary direction …
—Samuel Eliot Morison, The European Discovery of America, 1974
Mistress Mary got up from the log at once. She knew she felt contrary again, and obstinate, and she did not care at all.
—Frances Hodgson, The Secret Garden, 1911
The sisters gave contrary answers: one said “yes” and one said “no.”
We had contrary opinions on the issue.
Without contrary evidence, the jury will find her guilty.
The boat sailed against a contrary wind.
Contrary weather impeded the rescue efforts.
Nina Totenberg, New York Times Book Review, March 31, 1991
He was not, despite the mythology he and his press agents so assiduously manufactured, a risk taker. On the contrary, he was more often timid to the point of fecklessness.
—Christopher Buckley, New York Times Book Review, 4 Nov. 1990
Other men—a surprising number of them—do not feel anger or blame. On the contrary, they feel a strong blood tie to their fathers, and to them the discipline was a minor thing.
—Robert Bly, Iron John, 1990
"Is this the girl who has moved into Villa Villekulla?" asked one of the policemen. "Quite the contrary," said Pippi. "This is a tiny little auntie who lives on the third floor at the other end of the town."
—Astrid Lindgren, Pippi Longstocking, (1950) 1978
the admonition that we should not return hate with hate, but rather with its contrary—love
Adjective
Kicking Wolf was a very contrary man—he did as he pleased.
—Larry McMurtry, Dead Man's Walk, 1995
At sunrise 4 January she set sail, and the homeward passage began. Two days later, Columbus sighted Pinta sailing in a contrary direction …
—Samuel Eliot Morison, The European Discovery of America, 1974
Mistress Mary got up from the log at once. She knew she felt contrary again, and obstinate, and she did not care at all.
—Frances Hodgson, The Secret Garden, 1911
The sisters gave contrary answers: one said “yes” and one said “no.”
We had contrary opinions on the issue.
Without contrary evidence, the jury will find her guilty.
The boat sailed against a contrary wind.
Contrary weather impeded the rescue efforts.
Recent Examples on the WebSimon Makin, Scientific American, 8 Feb. 2023
Through it all, Mitchell has insisted that every one of his records was set on unmodified Donkey Kong arcade hardware, despite some convincing technical evidence to the contrary.
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 3 Feb. 2023
Ryan Hogg, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2024
Between misinformation and disinformation campaigns, and the fact that the platforms have become echo chambers that drown out contrary opinions, the social networks may not provide the best insight.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024
Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post, 21 June 2017
See all Example Sentences for contrary 
Noun
The pandemic is not over, despite some proclamations to the contrary.
—Simon Makin, Scientific American, 8 Feb. 2023
Through it all, Mitchell has insisted that every one of his records was set on unmodified Donkey Kong arcade hardware, despite some convincing technical evidence to the contrary.
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 3 Feb. 2023
Adjective
Once perceptions are framed and anchored, confirmation bias—the tendency for people to pay attention only to evidence that agrees with their perceptions and to ignore contrary information—tends to set in.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2024
Between misinformation and disinformation campaigns, and the fact that the platforms have become echo chambers that drown out contrary opinions, the social networks may not provide the best insight.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024
Adverb
The suspect was not wearing an explosives-laden belt, Van der Sypt said, contrary to an initial eyewitness account from a railway official.
—Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post, 21 June 2017
See all Example Sentences for contrary
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contrary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near contrary
Cite this Entry
“Contrary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contrary. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
contrary
2 of 2 adjective
con·trary
ˈkän-ˌtrer-ē
sense 4 is often
kən-ˈtre(ə)r-ē
1
: exactly opposite : entirely different
contrary opinions
2
: being against or opposed : in violation
actions contrary to the law
3
: not favorable or helpful
a contrary wind
4
: unwilling to obey or behave well
a contrary child
contrarily
adverb
-ˌtrer-ə-lē
-ˈtrer-
contrariness
noun
-ˌtrer-ē-nəs
-ˈtrer-
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