contrariness
contrariness Lexical Profile
contrariness Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The quality or habit of being willfully stubborn, perverse, or inclined to oppose others and do the opposite of what is expected.
"Out of sheer contrariness, the toddler refused to wear his coat until everyone else took theirs off."
The state or quality of being opposite, conflicting, or antagonistic in nature, direction, or tendency.
"The historian noted the inherent contrariness of the two political movements that emerged during the same decade."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Contrariness' usually refers to a willful, stubborn disposition in people (being difficult on purpose), whereas 'contrariety' is a more formal term used for logical opposition or inconsistency between ideas.
• Rhymes for contrariness
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in Middle English from 'contrary' (via Old French 'contraire', from Latin 'contrarius' meaning 'opposite') combined with the native English noun-forming suffix '-ness'.