contrary
[ kon-trer-ee; for 5 also kuhn-trair-ee ]
/ ˈkɒn trɛr i; for 5 also kənˈtrɛər i /
adjective
noun, plural con·trar·ies.
adverb
in opposition; oppositely; counter: to act contrary to one's own principles.
Idioms for contrary
Origin of contrary
SYNONYMS FOR contrary
ANTONYMS FOR contrary
4
favorable.
synonym study for contrary
1. See
opposite.
4.
Contrary,
adverse both describe something that opposes.
Contrary conveys an idea of something impersonal and objective whose opposition happens to be unfavorable:
contrary winds.
Adverse suggests something more personally unfriendly or even hostile; it emphasizes the idea of the resulting misfortune to that which is opposed:
The judge rendered a decision adverse to the defendant.
OTHER WORDS FROM contrary
con·trar·i·ly [kon-trer-uh-lee, kuhn-trair-] /ˈkɒn trɛr ə li, kənˈtrɛər-/, adverb con·trar·i·ness, noun qua·si-con·trar·i·ly, adverb qua·si-con·trar·y, adjectiveWords nearby contrary
British Dictionary definitions for to the contrary
contrary
/ (ˈkɒntrərɪ) /
adjective
noun plural -ries
adverb (usually foll by to)
in an opposite or unexpected way
contrary to usual belief
in conflict (with) or contravention (of)
contrary to nature
Derived forms of contrary
contrariness, nounWord Origin for contrary
C14: from Latin
contrārius opposite, from
contrā against
Idioms and Phrases with to the contrary (1 of 2)
to the contrary
To the opposite effect, in denial, as in No matter what they say to the contrary, I am positive that he was present. This idiom was first recorded in 1512. Also see on the contrary.
Idioms and Phrases with to the contrary (2 of 2)
contrary
see on the contrary; to the contrary.