contradict
Americanverb (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)
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
Related Words
See deny.
Other Word Forms
- contradictable adjective
- contradicter noun
- contradictive adjective
- contradictively adverb
- contradictiveness noun
- contradictor noun
- uncontradictable adjective
- uncontradictably adverb
- uncontradicted adjective
- uncontradictedly adverb
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”
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.
“The claims set forth in the lawsuit grossly mischaracterize their interactions, which occurred over a decade, and some accusations over 2 decades, ago. All these allegations are contradicted by the real facts.”
From Los Angeles Times
The BBC obtained a letter from the Dutch police inspectorate in December, which appears to contradict claims made by the West Midlands force about Maccabi fans' previous behaviour.
From BBC
Doesn’t last year’s impressive market performance contradict the contrarians?
From MarketWatch
BBC News has obtained a letter from the Dutch police inspectorate in December, which appears to contradict claims made by West Midlands Police about Maccabi fans' previous behaviour, which were used to justify the ban.
From BBC
The unease around contradicting these ideas was real for many patients.
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.
