Word
contrary
Phoneticscon·trary
/ˈkɑntɹɛɹi/
Definitions
01opposite or conflicting
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
adj. opposite in nature, direction, or meaning.
adj. opposite in nature, character, or direction; often describes ideas or evidence that conflict with each other.
Español:contrario
“The two witnesses gave contrary accounts of what happened during the accident.”
“Despite the prevailing economic optimism, several contrary indicators suggested that a market correction was imminent.”
Usage
Often used in the phrase 'contrary to', followed by a noun phrase.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02stubborn or unhelpful
C1 · Advanced Informal
adj. describes a person who is stubborn and likes to do the opposite of what is expected.
adj. habitually inclined to disagree or to do the opposite of what is requested or expected.
“He is being very contrary today and refuses to agree with any of our suggestions.”
“The child was in a contrary mood, deliberately choosing the very activities his parents had just forbidden.”
Teaching tip
In this sense, the stress often shifts to the second syllable (con-TRAR-y) in some dialects, though the standard pronunciation remains acceptable.
Antonyms
03the opposite
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Formal
n. the opposite of something that has just been said.
n. the opposite of a statement, fact, or condition; frequently used in fixed prepositional phrases.
“I thought the test would be easy, but the contrary was true.”
“The defendant claimed he was at home, but the evidence proved the contrary.”
Usage
Commonly appears in the phrases 'on the contrary' or 'to the contrary'.
04logical opposition
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Law Academic · Technical
n. one of two ideas that cannot both be true at the same time.
n. one of a pair of propositions that cannot both be true, though both may be false.
“In logic, 'all cats are black' and 'no cats are black' are contraries.”
“The legal argument rested on the identification of a logical contrary within the witness's previous testimony.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “contrary” in context.
Adjective
01. contrary to
“Contrary to popular belief, the desert can be quite cold at night.”
adj + prep
Real-World Examples
“It’s not too late to reverse this decision, which is contrary to the government’s newfound enthusiasm for delegating decisions to local communities.” “That was the case in 1950, and it is still the case today, despite well-publicised claims to the contrary.” Etymology
From Middle English contrarie, compare French contraire, from Old French contraire, from Latin contrārius (“opposite, opposed, contrary”), from contrā (“against”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/contrary
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0