contradict
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to assert the contrary or opposite of; deny directly and categorically.
- Synonyms:
- dispute, controvert, impugn, gainsay
- Antonyms:
- support
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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.
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Obsolete. to speak or declare against; oppose.
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr) to affirm the opposite of (a proposition, statement, etc)
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(tr) to declare (a proposition, statement, etc) to be false or incorrect; deny
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(intr) to be argumentative or contrary
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(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
Synonym Usage
See deny.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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contradicternoun
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contradictivenessnoun
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contradictornoun
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contradictableadjective
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contradictiveadjective
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uncontradictableadjective
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uncontradictedadjective
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contradictivelyadverb
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uncontradictablyadverb
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uncontradictedlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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contradictsimple
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contradictssimple
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have contradictedperfect
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has contradictedperfect
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am contradictingprogressive
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are contradictingprogressive
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is contradictingprogressive
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have been contradictingperfect progressive
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has been contradictingperfect progressive
Past
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contradictedsimple
-
had contradictedperfect
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was contradictingprogressive
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were contradictingprogressive
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had been contradictingperfect progressive
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.
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.
The calming locales both complement and contradict the plot’s revelations, which are hardly bombshells but do speak to how well-to-do families labor to shove inconvenient skeletons into the closet.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026
Israeli officials say the deal’s security annex doesn’t contradict their freedom of action against emerging and developing threats.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026
Notably, no-one in the squad moved to contradict Uruguay's all-time leading scorer.
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
The retailer called the plaintiffs’ argument “fatally flawed,” adding, “Plaintiffs’ own sources contradict it, the regulations of the U.S.
From Salon • Jun. 17, 2026
And I was getting a devil that made me want to contradict whatever Titid would say.
From "Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti" by Frances Temple
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.
