contrary
contrary Lexical Profile
contrary Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Opposite in nature, direction, or meaning; conflicting or incompatible.
"The committee reached a conclusion that was entirely contrary to the initial findings."
Perversely inclined to disagree or to do the opposite of what is expected or desired.
"The toddler was in a contrary mood and refused to wear his coat despite the freezing weather."
Unfavorable or blowing against a vessel's intended course (of wind or weather).
"The sailing ship was delayed for three days in port by contrary winds."
• noun
The opposite of a statement, fact, or situation; either of two opposing things.
"She expected the examination to be difficult, but the contrary proved to be true."
A proposition related to another in such a way that both cannot be true at the same time, though both may be false (in formal logic).
"In classical logic, 'no swans are white' is the contrary of 'all swans are white', as both statements are false."
• adverb
In opposition or contrast to something; contrarily.
"He decided to act contrary to the explicit advice of his legal counsel."
Word Nuance & Usage
Notice the stress shift in American and British pronunciation: when meaning 'opposite in nature or direction', the stress falls on the first syllable (CON-trer-ee), whereas when describing a stubbornly oppositional person, the stress often shifts to the second syllable (kun-TRER-ee).
• Rhymes for contrary
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 14th century via Anglo-Norman and Old French from Latin contrarius ('opposite, opposed, conflicting'), formed from the preposition contra ('against').