contrary
Americanadjective
-
opposite in nature or character; diametrically or mutually opposed.
contrary to fact; contrary propositions.
- Synonyms:
- counter, conflicting, contradictory
-
opposite in direction or position.
departures in contrary directions.
-
being the opposite one of two.
I will make the contrary choice.
-
unfavorable or adverse.
- Synonyms:
- hostile, unfriendly
- Antonyms:
- favorable
-
perverse; stubbornly opposed or willful.
- Synonyms:
- pigheaded, stubborn, headstrong, obstinate, intractable
- Antonyms:
- complaisant, obliging
noun
-
something that is contrary or opposite.
to prove the contrary of a statement.
-
either of two contrary things.
-
Logic. a proposition so related to another proposition that both may not be true though both may be false, as with the propositions “All judges are male” and “No judges are male.”
adverb
idioms
-
by contraries, contrary to expectation.
-
on the contrary,
-
in opposition to what has been stated.
-
from another point of view.
On the contrary, there may be some who would agree with you.
-
-
to the contrary,
-
to the opposite effect.
I believe he is innocent, whatever they may say to the contrary.
-
to a different effect.
-
adjective
-
opposed in nature, position, etc
contrary ideas
-
perverse; obstinate
-
(esp of wind) adverse; unfavourable
-
(of plant parts) situated at right angles to each other
-
logic (of a pair of propositions) related so that they cannot both be true at once, although they may both be false together Compare subcontrary contradictory
noun
-
the exact opposite (esp in the phrase to the contrary )
-
quite the reverse; not at all
-
either of two exactly opposite objects, facts, or qualities
-
logic a statement that cannot be true when a given statement is true
adverb
-
in an opposite or unexpected way
contrary to usual belief
-
in conflict (with) or contravention (of)
contrary to nature
Synonym Usage
See opposite. Contrary, adverse both describe something that opposes. Contrary conveys an idea of something impersonal and objective whose opposition happens to be unfavorable: contrary winds. Adverse suggests something more personally unfriendly or even hostile; it emphasizes the idea of the resulting misfortune to that which is opposed: The judge rendered a decision adverse to the defendant.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of contrary
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English contrarie, from Anglo-French, from Latin contrārius; equivalent to contra 1 + -ary
Explanation
Use contrary when two things are exactly opposite or entirely different. If something is contrary to something else, it is opposed to or against it. A contrary child is one who opposes people in authority. As a noun, the contrary means the opposite, as in "We will not give up; on the contrary, we will fight with all our power." The adjective contrary derives from Latin contrarius ("opposite, opposed") from contra ("against").
Vocabulary lists containing contrary
Opposites Attract
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Against All Odds: Contra and Counter
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 16–19
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"USCIS's actions are contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious."
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
WFP leadership, however, in a rare move contrary to party membership, decided not to endorse any candidate in the race.
From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026
He then posted another message, saying: “Jefferies is not promoting any shorting activity regarding any IPO. Any suggestion to the contrary is WRONG.”
From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026
Gallagher said, contrary to popular belief, cockroach infestations could be controlled - though he admitted they could be "harder to treat" than other pests.
From BBC • May 28, 2026
If he did not profit from his methods it was not his fault, but this arose from an extraordinary and extreme instance of contrary Fortune.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
