contradictory

adjective

ˌkän-trə-ˈdik-t(ə-)rē How to pronounce contradictory (audio)
Definition of contradictorynext
as in contrary
being as different as possible contradictory predictions regarding stock prices that were of no help to investors at all

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the adjective contradictory differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of contradictory are antithetical, contrary, and opposite. While all these words mean "being so far apart as to be or seem irreconcilable," contradictory applies to two things that completely negate each other so that if one is true or valid the other must be untrue or invalid.

made contradictory predictions about whether the market would rise or fall

When can antithetical be used instead of contradictory?

The synonyms antithetical and contradictory are sometimes interchangeable, but antithetical stresses clear and unequivocal diametrical opposition.

a law that is antithetical to the very idea of democracy

When is it sensible to use contrary instead of contradictory?

While the synonyms contrary and contradictory are close in meaning, contrary implies extreme divergence or diametrical opposition.

contrary assessments of the war situation

Where would opposite be a reasonable alternative to contradictory?

The meanings of opposite and contradictory largely overlap; however, opposite applies to things in sharp contrast or in conflict.

opposite views on foreign aid

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contradictory All those contradictory moves paid off during the 12-day war. —Karen Elliott House, Time, 10 July 2025 Anti-fragile leaders have learned to embrace paradox – holding apparently contradictory truths simultaneously and using that tension as competitive fuel. —Tarun Galagali, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025 Aster is constantly muddying his characters with contradictory views and selfish motives, so that no one’s hands are entirely clean. —Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 17 July 2025 Washington has a tendency of speaking about our values but pursuing our interests in a contradictory fashion. —Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for contradictory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contradictory
  1. contrary
  2. opposite
  3. unfavorable
  4. antithetical
Adjective
  • Team members need to experience having contrary opinions welcomed and explored rather than shut down.
    — Maren Perry, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
  • After searching anxiously for the principles on which a contrary opinion may be supported, none have been found which appear of sufficient force to maintain the opposite doctrine.
    — Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 29 July 2025
Definition of contrary
Adjective
  • Bond yields and prices move in opposite directions.
    — Chloe Taylor,Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 24 July 2025
  • By chance, one camera caught a rare video, capturing the moment when the ground cracked and shifted in opposite directions.
    — Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 July 2025
Definition of opposite
Adjective
  • These unpredictable, and often downright unfavorable, conditions are already impacting event attendance.
    — Shawn Pierce, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • There are other allusions to unfavorable animal traits in humans.
    — Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 18 July 2025
Definition of unfavorable
Adjective
  • Psychedelics, even when used in pursuit of enlightenment, induce an isolated, individual experience that is ultimately antithetical to that of the Communion table of bread and wine, where all are welcome, and all are nourished with the same Substance.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 July 2025
  • The best rom-coms derive tension from the fact that such adjustment is antithetical to the development of romance.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 July 2025
Definition of antithetical

Browse Nearby Words

contradictoriness
contradictory
contradicts
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Cite this Entry

“Contradictory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contradictory. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on contradictory

Nglish: Translation of contradictory for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about contradictory

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