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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mischievous
engaging in or marked by childish misbehavior
a contrary child who wouldn't behave
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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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contrary
Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 22 July 2025
One factor that does serve to lend a veneer of playful irony to the film’s contrary elements is Aaron Gilhuis’ original score.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 15 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
Gordon Pennycook: In general, people who believe conspiracies often have contrary beliefs.
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 22 July 2025
One factor that does serve to lend a veneer of playful irony to the film’s contrary elements is Aaron Gilhuis’ original score.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 15 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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But the federal takeover in the nation's capital accompanies contradictory crime data.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Aug. 2025
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Here are three key takeaways: Why migraines happen: There are two contradictory schools of thought, both of which can be traced back to the nineteenth century.—
Hannah Jocelyn,
New Yorker,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But the palm-sized toy bears holds the same mischievous grin and soft fur that made the original go mind-bogglingly viral.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN Money,
24 Aug. 2025
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His joyful, mischievous stage presence is enough reason to go.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The Opry had been wary of Cash's rebellious ways for some time, but this was the final straw.—
Audrey Gibbs,
The Tennessean,
28 Aug. 2025
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Cole is the rebellious cool older brother with a secret heart of gold, while Alex is the reliable nerdy and sweet one who wants to come out from Cole's shadow.—
Dina Kaur,
AZCentral.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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But in my experience, if done right, the opposite can very much be true.—
Eugenia Mykuliak,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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Everything is in flux, but Alex is consistent, and Cole’s the opposite.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The naughty Netflix comedy about a dog's wild night before getting neutered is now streaming.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Tucked into a mansion-like building in Midtown, this Mediterranean-leaning lounge has been upgraded to offer a setting that feels like a naughty secret.—
Rafael Peña,
Miami Herald,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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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
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After all, in Andor, a rebel alliance pushes back against an emperor.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Recent research shows that executives using generative AI made significantly worse predictions than those who relied on traditional deliberation methods.—
Luis E. Romero,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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But that will be despite a really shaky offensive line — and Cincy’s defense might be as bad as Joe Cool is good.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But New Delhi has been defiant, saying that Russian oil is necessary for the energy security of its 1.4 billion-strong population.—
Anna Cooban,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
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The character’s defiant self-possession would unnerve even a more contemporary patriarchy, and challenge family dynamics in any era.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contrary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrary. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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