Pronunciation: /ˈkɑnˌtrɛri/

Definitions of contrary

noun opposite or opposed in character or direction

Example Sentences

A1 On the contrary, I prefer tea over coffee.

A2 Contrary to popular belief, cats can be very affectionate animals.

B1 The decision to cancel the event was made in direct contrary to what was previously agreed upon.

B2 His actions were in direct contrary to the company's code of conduct.

C1 The research findings were in direct contrary to the established scientific theories.

C2 The lawyer argued that the new evidence presented was in direct contrary to the prosecution's case.

adjective opposite in nature, direction, or meaning

Example Sentences

A1 On the contrary, I think it's a good idea.

A2 Contrary to popular belief, she actually enjoys public speaking.

B1 His actions were contrary to the company's policies.

B2 Contrary to what was expected, the experiment yielded surprising results.

C1 Contrary to her initial reservations, she decided to take the job offer.

C2 The decision to invest in the new technology was contrary to the advice of the financial analysts.

adverb in an opposite or contrary direction or manner

Example Sentences

A1 She wanted to stay home, but contrary to her wishes, she had to go to the party.

A2 Contrary to popular belief, not all cats are afraid of water.

B1 Contrary to what the weather forecast predicted, it turned out to be a sunny day.

B2 The results of the experiment were contrary to what the researchers had expected.

C1 Contrary to his previous statements, the politician changed his stance on the issue.

C2 The artist's new exhibit was contrary to his usual style, surprising his fans.

Examples of contrary in a Sentence

formal On the contrary, the data suggests that there is a correlation between the two variables.

informal Contrary to popular belief, she actually enjoys spending time alone.

slang I thought he would be mad, but on the contrary, he was totally chill about it.

figurative Her actions spoke volumes to the contrary of what she was saying.

Grammatical Forms of contrary

past tense

contradicted

plural

contraries

comparative

more contrary

superlative

most contrary

present tense

contradicts

future tense

will contradict

perfect tense

has contradicted

continuous tense

is contradicting

singular

contrary

positive degree

contrary

infinitive

to contradict

gerund

contradicting

participle

contradicted

Origin and Evolution of contrary

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'contrary' originated from the Latin word 'contrarius', which means opposite or opposed.
Evolution of the word: Over time, 'contrary' has retained its original meaning of being opposite or opposed, but has also come to be used in a broader sense to indicate something that is different or conflicting.