contradictory
Americanadjective
-
asserting the contrary or opposite; contradicting; inconsistent; logically opposite.
contradictory statements.
- Synonyms:
- paradoxical, irreconcilable
-
tending or inclined to contradict.
noun
plural
contradictoriesadjective
-
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
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.
There are at least two ways to try to reconcile these seemingly contradictory orders.
From Slate • May 19, 2026
Without speaking to any specific studies, Levine said that different methodologies could yield contradictory results.
From Salon • May 15, 2026
Callais, bringing much-needed clarity to one of the most confused and contradictory areas of American election law.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
Creating a more durable ceasefire will require some kind of agreement to at least keep talking about the two sides' contradictory lists of intractable issues.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
This good news was followed almost immediately by a contradictory report from Comptroller Wolcott.
From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy
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.
