contrary
B2Formal, academic, literary, and common in everyday argumentative contexts.
Definition
Meaning
Opposed in nature, direction, or purpose; opposite.
Perversely inclined to disagree or oppose; a fact or opinion that is the opposite of another.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has two primary senses: 1) the adjective describing opposition ('contrary views') and 2) the noun meaning the opposite ('the contrary is true'). It can also describe a stubbornly uncooperative attitude. The stress pattern changes meaning between adjective/noun (CON-trə-ree) and adverbial phrase 'on the contrary' (...-TRAIR-ee).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'contrary' is commonly used in the phrase 'to the contrary' meaning 'indicating the opposite'. The phrase 'on the contrary' is used in both. The adjective describing a person as deliberately oppositional ('a contrary child') is slightly more frequent in UK usage.
Connotations
In both, the word implies strong opposition. When describing a person, it carries a negative connotation of being deliberately awkward or argumentative.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in written British English, particularly in formal and legal contexts. In American English, it is common in academic and journalistic writing.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
contrary to [noun phrase]be contrarythe contraryon the contraryVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “On the contrary”
- “To the contrary”
- “Quite the contrary”
- “Unless you hear to the contrary”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports and discussions to highlight opposing data or viewpoints: 'The sales figures were contrary to our projections.'
Academic
Common in constructing arguments and discussing opposing theories: 'Her findings run contrary to established dogma in the field.'
Everyday
Used in discussions and arguments to point out opposition: 'I thought you'd be angry.' 'On the contrary, I'm delighted.'
Technical
In logic and philosophy, describes propositions that cannot both be true. In sailing, a 'contrary wind' blows from an opposing direction.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (archaic/rare) 'He would contrary my every suggestion just for the sake of it.'
American English
- (virtually never used as a verb in modern American English.)
adverb
British English
- (Only in fixed phrases) 'Contrary to popular belief, bats are not blind.'
American English
- (Only in fixed phrases) 'He acted contrary to his own interests.'
adjective
British English
- The committee took a contrary view on the proposed development.
- He's being deliberately contrary about the holiday plans.
American English
- Her actions were contrary to company policy.
- The judge ruled based on evidence contrary to the plaintiff's claims.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My sister is very contrary. She always says 'no' first.
- The facts are contrary to his story.
- Contrary to the weather forecast, it was a sunny day.
- If you think it's easy, you should think again. Quite the contrary, it's very difficult.
- The study presents evidence that is directly contrary to the government's position.
- She has a contrary personality and often argues pointlessly.
- The defendant's testimony was contrary to all the established physical evidence.
- Philosophers often explore a proposition and its contrary to test logical boundaries.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of CONTRARY as CON-TRARY: when you CONfront someone, you might get into a con-TRARY (argumentative) discussion because you have opposing views.
Conceptual Metaphor
OPPOSITION IS DIRECTION (moving against the current). KNOWLEDGE/ARGUMENT IS A JOURNEY (taking a contrary route).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'контрольный' (which is 'control').
- Do not confuse with 'contrast' (контраст). 'Contrary' is about opposition, while 'contrast' is about difference for comparison.
- The phrase 'on the contrary' is a set phrase equivalent to 'наоборот', not a word-for-word translation.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect preposition: 'contrary with' instead of 'contrary to'.
- Mispronunciation: using first-syllable stress in the phrase 'on the contrary'.
- Using 'on the contrary' to simply add information rather than directly contradict a previous statement.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'contrary' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'On the contrary' is used to directly contradict and correct a previous statement. 'On the other hand' introduces a different, often contrasting, point of view without directly stating the previous one is wrong.
Not inherently. As an adjective describing facts or opinions ('contrary evidence'), it is neutral. When describing a person's disposition ('a contrary child'), it carries a negative connotation of being deliberately difficult.
In the phrase 'on the contrary', the stress typically shifts to the second syllable in both BrE and AmE: /kənˈtreə.ri/ (BrE) and /kənˈtrer.i/ (AmE).
Yes. As a noun (usually with 'the'), it means 'the opposite'. Example: 'He claimed to be a supporter, but his actions proved the contrary.'
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