adjective
contrary
KONT-ruh-ree
adjective
1
Completely opposite in nature or direction.
"Contrary to expectations, the team won easily."
"The evidence points to a contrary conclusion."
2
Stubbornly inclined to disagree or do the opposite of what's expected.
"The toddler was being contrary, refusing everything she was offered."
noun
1
The opposite of something already stated.
"He claimed innocence, and nothing proved to the contrary."
How to Use Contrary
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOpposite or opposed — or, describing a person, stubbornly awkward.
Common pairings
on the contrary
contrary to popular belief
contrary opinion
Word Forms
more contrary comparative, more contrary comparative, contraried past tense, contraries plural, contraries singular, most contrary superlative, most contrary superlative
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_____ to expectations, the team won easily.
Etymology
From Old French contraire, from Latin contrarius ("opposite, opposed"), from contra ("against").