Synonyms

contradict

American

[kon-truh-dikt] / ˌkɒn trəˈdɪkt /

verb (used with object)

to assert the contrary or opposite of; deny directly and categorically.

Synonyms:

dispute, controvert, impugn, gainsay

Antonyms:

support
to speak contrary to the assertions of.

to contradict oneself.

Synonyms:

dispute, controvert, impugn, gainsay
(of an action or event) to imply a denial of.

His way of life contradicts his stated principles.
Obsolete. to speak or declare against; oppose.

verb (used without object)

to utter a contrary statement.

contradict British

/ ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkt /

verb

(tr) to affirm the opposite of (a proposition, statement, etc)
(tr) to declare (a proposition, statement, etc) to be false or incorrect; deny
(intr) to be argumentative or contrary
(tr) to be inconsistent with (a proposition, theory, etc)

the facts contradicted his theory
(intr) (of two or more facts, principles, etc) to be at variance; be in contradiction

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See deny.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of contradict

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin contrādictus “spoken against,” past participle of contrādīcere “to gainsay, speak against,” from contrā- contra- ¹ ( def. ) + dīcere “to say, speak, tell”

Explanation

"Contra-" usually means "against," and to contradict is to go against or say the opposite of what someone else is doing or saying. Sometimes to contradict is to frustrate with words, like when one person says "The sky is blue" and another says "No, it's azure." Denying or distorting the truth is a big part of trying to contradict. It can be harmless verbal back-and-forth, like when a husband and wife disagree just to disagree, or contradict each other to make a humorous point, but at other times people contradict something to make another person look like a liar. Often, a person who has lied will later contradict himself by saying something different from what he said earlier — and sometimes the two sides contradict each other, and neither is actually right.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing contradict

The Language of Standardized Tests, List 1

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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 1–6

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to contradict U.S. assertions of progress toward a deal, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

First, revenues across the AI ecosystem have surged, which seems to contradict the bears’ worries about data-center profitability.

From Barron's • May 23, 2026

Each story is incomplete, and some even contradict one another.

From Science Daily • May 21, 2026

"I contradict myself / I transform," she added on a thunderous version of Saoko, from her second album, Motomami.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

He hoped Cilia would contradict him, but she did not.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023