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.
This would appear to contradict directly the statements made during a cabinet meeting held Thursday in which Bessent said “the U.S. oil market is well-supplied.”
From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026
Owens is maximalist in her approach, tossing out anything that to her seems funky or confusing or too coincidental, even when they lead to theories that contradict one another.
From Slate • Feb. 27, 2026
“If there is evidence in the files that the DOJ has reviewed, obviously that evidence would contradict her wrong testimony, which would be proof of perjury.”
From Salon • Feb. 12, 2026
The emails contradict statements Lutnick made in October about vowing in 2005 to "never be in a room" with Epstein again.
From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026
He looked around the crowd, as if daring anyone to contradict him.
From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac
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.
