contraindicate
C1/C2Formal, Technical (primarily medical)
Definition
Meaning
To be a reason against giving a specific medical treatment; to suggest that a particular drug, procedure, or activity should not be used because it may be harmful.
In a broader sense, to serve as a reason against any particular course of action due to potential negative consequences or incompatibility.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word is most commonly used in its adjectival form 'contraindicated' or the noun 'contraindication'. The verb form is less frequent but standard.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage; spelling conventions are identical. More common in formal medical writing than in speech.
Connotations
Strongly associated with professional medical authority and clinical decision-making.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both varieties, confined almost exclusively to medical and healthcare contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Contraindicate [something] (e.g., a treatment)Contraindicate [something] for [someone/condition]Contraindicate [V-ing]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms”
Usage
Context Usage
Academic
Used in medical, pharmaceutical, and nursing research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Core term in clinical practice, pharmacology, and medical guidelines.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The patient's liver disease may contraindicate the use of paracetamol.
- Coagulation disorders strongly contraindicate elective surgery.
American English
- A known allergy contraindicates prescribing that antibiotic.
- Severe hypertension contraindicates the use of this decongestant.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Pregnancy usually contraindicates that type of medication.
- The doctor said my asthma contraindicates taking aspirin.
- The presence of a bleeding disorder is an absolute factor that contraindicates thrombolytic therapy.
- Recent clinical guidelines now contraindicate the routine use of this drug in patients over 75.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CONTRA = against, INDICATE = point to/suggest. So, 'contraindicate' = 'point/suggest against' a treatment.
Conceptual Metaphor
MEDICAL ADVICE IS A SIGNAL (A red traffic light signalling 'stop' or 'danger').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calques like 'контраиндицировать'. The correct Russian medical term is 'противопоказан' (contraindicated). The noun is 'противопоказание'.
- Do not confuse with 'contradict' (противоречить).
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'His age contraindicates him for the surgery.' (Better: 'His age contraindicates the surgery.' or 'His age is a contraindication for surgery.')
- Misspelling: 'counterindicate'.
- Using it in non-medical contexts where 'advise against' would be more natural.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the verb 'contraindicate' most appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Extremely rarely. Its primary domain is medicine and healthcare. In other fields, words like 'advise against', 'preclude', or 'discourage' are used.
The adjective 'contraindicated' (e.g., 'This drug is contraindicated in pregnancy') and the noun 'contraindication' are far more common than the verb 'to contraindicate'.
No, typically not. The object is the treatment, drug, or procedure. You contraindicate a *treatment*, not a *patient*.
'Contraindicate' is a specific medical/clinical recommendation based on risk assessment. 'Prohibit' is a general, often legal or authoritative, command forbidding something.