Meaning & use
contrary
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Meanings
adjectivecomparableformal
Totally different from, or in conflict with, something else, so that the two cannot both be true or fit together.
Grammar: Often followed by to: a result contrary to our hopes.
Patterns
- contrary to something
- a contrary view/opinion
The test results were contrary to everything the doctors had expected.
Contrary advice from two experts left the family confused.
Behaving that way is contrary to the club's rules.
nounsingularformal
The opposite of something that has just been said or believed.
Grammar: Almost always used with the: the contrary, or in phrases such as on the contrary.
Patterns
- on the contrary
- to the contrary
- quite the contrary
I am not upset; on the contrary, I am delighted.
He insisted he was fine, despite evidence to the contrary.
You think the job is easy? Quite the contrary.
adjectivecomparabledisapprovingold-fashioned
Deliberately awkward and inclined to disagree or do the opposite of what people ask.
Grammar: Describes a person's character, and is said in a mildly critical tone.
Patterns
- a contrary child/mood
The contrary toddler refused every food we offered.
She was in a contrary mood and argued with every suggestion.
Their contrary old donkey would not move an inch.
Common combinations
- contrary to popular belief
- Contrary to popular belief, goldfish can live for decades.
- contrary to expectations
- Contrary to expectations, the small team won the final.
- on the contrary
- The delay did not help us; on the contrary, it cost us the contract.
- evidence to the contrary
- Unless you have evidence to the contrary, we will go ahead.
- contrary opinion
- A contrary opinion was offered by the youngest member of the panel.
Synonyms and how they differ
- opposite
- Opposite is the everyday word and can describe position or direction, while contrary usually describes ideas, claims and results.
- conflicting
- Conflicting describes two things that clash with each other, whereas contrary can compare one thing against a fixed standard or expectation.
- stubborn
- Stubborn describes refusing to change your mind, but it does not carry contrary's sense of deliberately doing the reverse.
- perverse
- Perverse is stronger and suggests taking a pleasure in doing the unreasonable thing.
Opposites
Word family
- contrarily adverb
- in an opposing or awkward way
- contrariness noun
- the habit of disagreeing or being difficult
- contrariwise adverb
- on the other hand, or in the opposite way
- contrariety noun
- the state of being opposed
Commonly confused: contrary or contradictory?
contrary vs contradictory
Contradictory describes statements that cannot both be true, while contrary can simply mean going against something or being awkward.
Practice
Which phrase correctly completes the sentence: ___ the forecast, the afternoon turned sunny.
Choose one answer.
Contrary to is the fixed pattern meaning opposite to what was expected. On the contrary stands alone as a reply and cannot be followed by of, and with or against to are not used this way.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “contrary”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.