contradictory
Americanadjective
-
asserting the contrary or opposite; contradicting; inconsistent; logically opposite.
contradictory statements.
- Synonyms:
- paradoxical, irreconcilable
-
tending or inclined to contradict.
noun
adjective
-
inconsistent; incompatible
-
given to argument and contention
a contradictory person
-
logic (of a pair of statements) unable both to be true or both to be false under the same circumstances Compare contrary subcontrary
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of contradictory
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin contrādictōrius; equivalent to contradict + -ory 1
Explanation
A contradictory statement is one that says two things that cannot both be true. An example: My sister is jealous of me because I'm an only child. Contradictory is related to the verb contradict, which means to say or do the opposite, and contrary, which means to take an opposite view. When witnesses give contradictory accounts of crimes—one saying the assailant had a knife and the other a gun—police officers often assume that at least one of the witnesses is lying.
Vocabulary lists containing contradictory
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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Opposites Attract
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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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.
Political experts argue that messages that seem contradictory to a candidate’s background, as well as drowning voters with incessant ads, can be jarring and off-putting to the electorate.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Sheinbaum said Mexico's respective trade agreements with the EU and the US were "not contradictory."
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
There are at least two ways to try to reconcile these seemingly contradictory orders.
From Slate • May 19, 2026
I saw how complicated and contradictory they could be.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Just as the father brimmed with contradictory feelings as he crept along the wall—humiliation, anger, and a grudging feeling of pride in his son—so the son felt his own contradictions.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
