Meaning & use
contradictory
Containing or expressing ideas that oppose or are inconsistent with each other.
See it in a sentence
The two witnesses gave contradictory accounts of what happened that night.
His contradictory instructions left the team unsure which task to prioritize.
A note on using this word
Contradictory describes statements or ideas, while its close relative contrary more often describes opposing directions or opinions.
Words with a similar meaning
inconsistentconflicting
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
consistentcompatible
Make it your own
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