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
Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 20 June 2025
Being pro-immigration, and in favor of a secure border are not contrary concepts, Fetterman said.
—Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 2 June 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
In another case decided earlier this term, the Supreme Court found the FDA acted lawfully in rejecting two other vaping companies’ applications, reversing the 5th Circuit’s contrary decision.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 20 June 2025
Being pro-immigration, and in favor of a secure border are not contrary concepts, Fetterman said.
—Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald, 2 June 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
-
Anti-fragile leaders have learned to embrace paradox – holding apparently contradictory truths simultaneously and using that tension as competitive fuel.—
Tarun Galagali,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
-
Aster is constantly muddying his characters with contradictory views and selfish motives, so that no one’s hands are entirely clean.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
17 July 2025
Adjective
-
This mischievous animal has an impressive shoe collection.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
17 July 2025
-
The sweet little girl and her mischievous blue alien finally give Hollywood its first billion-dollar movie of 2025, with Lilo & Stitch the only studio film to reach the milestone this year.—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
17 July 2025
Adjective
-
The chancellor is caught between febrile bond markets worried about government debt levels across advanced economies and rebellious Labour lawmakers who recently forced the government to pull back on reforms to welfare spending.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
22 July 2025
-
Once Audrey Hepburn was seen in a pair of the prototypical capri pants, everyone wanted to own them, and de Lennart’s hero product was later donned by the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor: appreciated for its originally rebellious intentions and modern-woman appeal.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
21 July 2025
Noun
-
Best known for playing whatever the opposite of a manic pixie dream girl is on The Bear, Gordon is particularly good at giving you someone who takes the idea of desperate times requiring desperate measures, and maybe a manic episode or two, to extremes.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
24 July 2025
-
Really the opposite of the Biden administration entirely.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
Roger Brown’s 1983 disco painting of a skeleton in a naughty leather cap embodies both extremes.—
Lori Waxman,
Chicago Tribune,
21 July 2025
-
Wonders leads the cast of naughty teens as Ava, who returns to Southport to celebrate the engagement of her best pal.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 July 2025
Adjective
-
The country is currently led by former rebel commander Ahmed al-Sharaa who was appointed transitional president last March, having acted as its de-facto leader following Al-Assad’s flight to Russia.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
16 July 2025
-
The president led 15,000 federalized militiamen from Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania into the west—though no rebel army materialized to oppose them.—
Time,
Time,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
Relegated to the minority and with little sway over the congressional agenda, Democrats are betting that the bipartisan route is the least terrible of several bad options ahead of them.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
22 July 2025
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Earlier this month, employees at the Environmental Protection Agency, filed their own letter, with even worse results; 140 of them were placed on administrative leave.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
On Monday, asked about the poll proposal at an unrelated event, Adams was defiant.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
14 July 2025
-
Trump's defiant response in Butler, Penn., may have fueled his big Election Day gains among male voters.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contrary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrary. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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