the contrary
noun
: an opposite or different fact, event, or situation
He was sure his sister had made a mistake, but the contrary was true: she was right and he was wrong.
Examples of the contrary in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Carroll's lawyers noted that the case history includes several findings to the contrary.
—
Graham Kates, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2025
In a case involving U.S.-based actors, the court could order compliance despite a presidential directive to the contrary — and American officials sworn to uphold the law might obey.
—Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2025
To the contrary, Germans rarely paid the rail company the full amounts due.
—Sarah Federman, The Conversation, 16 Apr. 2025
But, despite the administration’s nonsensical claims to the contrary, there is no emergency in the United States akin to El Salvador in 2022, when the country had the highest murder rate in the Americas.
—Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the contrary
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Graham Kates, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2025
In a case involving U.S.-based actors, the court could order compliance despite a presidential directive to the contrary — and American officials sworn to uphold the law might obey.
—Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2025
To the contrary, Germans rarely paid the rail company the full amounts due.
—Sarah Federman, The Conversation, 16 Apr. 2025
But, despite the administration’s nonsensical claims to the contrary, there is no emergency in the United States akin to El Salvador in 2022, when the country had the highest murder rate in the Americas.
—Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the contrary
Cite this Entry
“The contrary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20contrary. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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