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contrary Definition

con·trary (kän′trer′ē; for adj.4, often kən trer′ē)

adjective

  1. opposed; in opposition contrary to the rules
  2. opposite in nature, order, direction, etc.; altogether different
  3. unfavorable contrary winds
  4. inclined to oppose or disagree stubbornly; perverse

Etymology: ME contrarie < OFr contraire < L contrarius, opposite, opposed < contra, against

noun pl. -·trar′·ies

  1. the opposite; thing that is the opposite of another
  2. Logic either of two propositions so related that only one can be true but both may be false

adverb

in a contrary way; contrariwise

contrary Related Forms
con′·trari·ly (kän′trer′ə lē, kən trer′-) adverb con′·trar′i·ness noun
contrary Idioms

by contraries

Archaic contrary to what is expected

on the contrary

as opposed to what has been said

to the contrary

to the opposite effect; in reversal of what is stated

contrary Synonyms

contrary

modif.

  1. Opposed

    antagonistic, hostile, inimical; see against 3, opposed.

  2. Opposite

    antithetical, counter, clashing; see opposite 1.

  3. Unfavorable

    untimely, adverse, unpropitious; see unfavorable 2.

  4. Obstinate

    perverse, contradictory, headstrong, stubborn, balky, restive, self-willed, wayward, willful, refractory, pigheaded, oppositional, cantankerous, cross-grained, froward, contrarious*; see also obstinate.

contrary, in this comparison, implies a habitual willful disinclination to accept orders, advice, etc.; perverse implies an unreasonable obstinacy in deviating from what is considered right or acceptable; restive is applied to those who are impatient under restraint or discipline and hence are hard to control or keep in order; balky implies a stopping short and stubbornly refusing to go on See also syn. study at opposite.

contrary Synonyms

contrary

n.

converse, antithesis, just the opposite; see contrast 2, opposite.

on<strong> or </strong>to the contrary

conversely, contrary to, on the other hand, antithetically, contrariwise, inversely, contrasting, at the opposite pole, on the other side, in disagreement with, as opposed to, in opposition to, counter, in contradiction to; see also against 3, opposed.

contrary Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • indicate: Paragraph 13 of his judgment in particular indicates the contrary.
  • refuse: The Development Control and Environmental Protection Committee refused the application contrary to Officer advice.
  • believe: If they had not admitted it they would have been exposed to the rage of the populace, who believed the contrary.
  • approve: The Development Control and Environmental Protection Committee approved the application contrary to Officer advice.

Modifying Another Word

  • quite: Watering Your Young Child's Mind - Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow?
  • totally: The idea that anything goes is totally contrary to what I believe in.
  • directly: In any event, nearly everything that Lord Wright there said is directly contrary to the approach of the judges below.

Modifies a noun

  • opinion: There has been plenty of contrary opinion of course!
  • viewpoint: The impact of these techniques effectively restricts political and economic debate, sidelining contrary viewpoints.
  • wind: Contrary winds prevented him his succeeding in fifteen attempts to cross the seas to Ireland.
  • motion: I suppose the justification is that he has done so in the outer parts which are moving in contrary motion.
  • indication: There have also been contrary indications that this disillusionment with the establishment political system could produce the threat of right wing reactions.
  • view: Why should I accept your assumptions any more than those with contrary views?

Used with adjective complement

  • run: There is a sense in which this runs somewhat contrary to the spirit of the LAA.
  • act: DEFRA to investigate a procedure to enable removal from the committee of anyone who acts contrary to park purposes ( para 33 ).
  • appear: This appears contrary to these NATA objectives and the Integrated Transport Strategy.
  • approve: Members of the Planning Committee determined that the application be approved contrary to Officer advice for the reason stated above.
  • seem: This does seem contrary to most people's experience, tho.

Noun used with modifier

  • offense: He was convicted of an offense contrary to section 3 of the Act.
contrary Quotes

Too much consistency is as bad for the mind as it is for the body.Consistency is contrary to nature, contrary to life.

—Huxley, Aldous Leonard

If civil authorities legislate for or allow anything that is contrary to that order and therefore contrary to the will of God, neither the laws made or the authorizations granted can be binding on the consciences of the citizens, since God has more right to be obeyed than man.

—PopeJohn XXIII originally Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli

Hail Mary, quite contrary!

—Greene, (Henry) Graham

   It is not contrary to reason to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger.

—Humboldt, Alexander, Baron von

On the contrary!

—Ibsen, HenrikJohan