conversely
- 01 C1 Advanced
you use this to introduce an idea that is the opposite of the one you just mentioned.
used to introduce a statement or idea which reverses the logic of the previous one or presents a contrasting perspective.
Simple“Poor lighting can make a room feel small; conversely, bright walls can make it feel much larger.”
In context“He argued that high taxes would discourage investment; conversely, his opponent maintained that they would provide the necessary infrastructure for long-term growth.”
UsageUsually placed at the beginning of a sentence or clause to provide a transition between two contrasting ideas.
Teacher's tipThis is a high-level transition word common in academic writing; students often confuse it with 'contrary', which is an adjective or noun.
Synonyms
Usage conversely likely
“Conversely, when age-related losses were at the forefront of their minds, social interactions were more frequently experienced as stressful—and this more negative perception even persisted into the following day.”
“Conversely, if the drought eliminates too many parasites, hosts or water bodies, aquatic infections will go down.”
From converse + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.