contrarian

American  

[kuhn-trair-ee-uhn] / kənˈtrɛər i ən /

noun

1. a person who takes an opposing view, especially one who rejects the majority opinion, as in economic matters.

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contrarian British  

/ kənˈtrɛərɪən /

noun

1. 1. a contrary or obstinate person

   2. ( as modifier )

      a contrarian investor

      contrarian instincts

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Etymology

Origin of contrarian

contr(ary) + -arian

Example Sentences

That the Memory ETF has only been made available now is “a contrarian sell signal,” he said in a Thursday note.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026

The indicator is interpreted in a contrarian way, with higher values showing lower subsequent returns, and vice versa.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

Claude took 12 minutes to think about its bracket, which is more time than most humans devoted to this exercise, and crowned Illinois as its contrarian national champion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

Rogers, who is also the chairman, co-CEO and chief investment officer at Ariel, continues to be a contrarian as well.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

But he was a natural contrarian, a born critic, whose fullest energies manifested themselves in the act of doing intellectual isometric exercises against the fixed objects presented by someone else's ideas.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis