Contrary Definition
kŏntrĕrē
contraries
adjective
Opposed; in opposition.
Contrary to the rules.
Webster's New World
Opposite in direction or position.
Our boat took a course contrary to theirs.
American Heritage
Opposite in nature, order, direction, etc.; altogether different.
Webster's New World
Unfavorable.
Contrary winds.
Webster's New World
Inclined to oppose or disagree stubbornly; perverse.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
noun
contraries
The opposite; thing that is the opposite of another.
Webster's New World
Either of two opposing or contrary things.
American Heritage
Either of two propositions so related that only one can be true but both may be false.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
- contrariety
- antithesis
- antipodes
- contrapositive
- antonym
- antipode
- contradictory
- reverse
- opposite
- counter
- converse
- in contradiction to
- in opposition to
- as-opposed-to
- in disagreement with
adverb
In an opposite direction or manner; counter.
The judge ruled contrary to all precedent in the case.
American Heritage
In a contrary way; contrariwise.
Webster's New World
Wiktionary
verb
1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, I.47.
The Athenians having left the enemie in their owne land, for to pass into Sicilie, had very ill successe, and were much contraried by fortune [...].
Wiktionary
1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.12.
I finde them everie one in his turne to have reason, although they contrary one another.
Wiktionary
idiom
by contraries
- In opposition to what is expected.
American Heritage
on the contrary
- In opposition to what has been stated or what is expected:
I'm not sick; on the contrary, I'm in the peak of health.
American Heritage
to the contrary
- To the opposite effect from what has been stated or what is expected:
Despite what you say to the contrary, this contract is fair.
American Heritage
by contraries
- contrary to what is expected
Webster's New World
on the contrary
- as opposed to what has been said
Webster's New World
Other Word Forms of Contrary
Noun
Singular:
contraryPlural:
contrariesIdioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Contrary
- by contraries
- on the contrary
- to the contrary
- by contraries
- on the contrary
- to the contrary
Origin of Contrary
-
From Middle English contrarie, also contraire, from Old French contraire, from Latin contrarius (“opposite, opposed, contrary”), from contra (“against”).
From Wiktionary
-
Middle English contrarie from Anglo-Norman from Latin contrārius contrā against kom in Indo-European roots -ārius -ary
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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