contradictory

American  

[kon-truh-dik-tuh-ree] / ˌkɒn trəˈdɪk tə ri /

adjective

1. asserting the contrary or opposite; contradicting; inconsistent; logically opposite.

   contradictory statements.

   Synonyms:

   paradoxical, irreconcilable

2. tending or inclined to contradict.

---

noun

contradictories plural

1. Logic. a proposition so related to a second that it is impossible for both to be true or both to be false.

contradictory British  

/ ˌkɒntrəˈdɪktərɪ /

adjective

1. inconsistent; incompatible

2. given to argument and contention

   a contradictory person

3. logic (of a pair of statements) unable both to be true or both to be false under the same circumstances Compare contrary subcontrary

---

noun

1. logic a statement that cannot be true when a given statement is true or false when it is false

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• contradictoriness
  noun
• intercontradictory
  adjective
• noncontradictory
  adjective
• uncontradictory
  adjective
• contradictorily
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• contradictories
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

contradictory contradictories

These contradictory impressions persist in the new production of “Waiting in the Wings,” running in repertory at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum through Oct.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

"Markets are once again being forced to trade two seemingly contradictory stories on the same screen," said Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

The researchers say these seemingly contradictory cosmological puzzles may actually point toward the same conclusion.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

This exercise starts from two somewhat contradictory premises.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026

The ideas about Dionysus in these various stories seem at first sight contradictory.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

This is the famous “Law of the contradictories and excluded middle,” on the construction of which the whole fabric of religious dogma, and I may add of the higher metaphysics, must depend.

From The Religious Sentiment Its Source and Aim: A Contribution to the Science and Philosophy of Religion by Brinton, Daniel Garrison

But it is impossible for the definition to be separated from the thing defined, since this would mean that contradictories exist together.

From Summa Theologica, Part III (Tertia Pars) From the Complete American Edition by Thomas, Aquinas, Saint

Without an authoritative Logical Dictionary to refer to, where all contradictories, synonyms, and contraries may be found on record, Formal Logic will hardly sanction the free play of common sense.

From Logic Deductive and Inductive by Read, Carveth

Hegelianism was, in principle, the identity of contradictories, the identity of truth and error, of good and evil.

From The War Upon Religion Being an Account of the Rise and Progress of Anti-christianism in Europe by Cunningham, Francis A. (Francis Aloysius)

Both the above theses are false; yet Free Will and Determinism are both true, and in a completely known universe would cease to be contradictories.

From Life and Matter A Criticism of Professor Haeckel's 'Riddle of the Universe' by Lodge, Oliver, Sir

Related Words

• antithetical
• conflicting
• contrary
• incompatible
• inconsistent
• paradoxical