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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On the contrary, there’s a kind of sincerity to his reverence for beauty, for the erotic as art. arkansasonline.com, 10 July 2025 Davis: On the contrary, the One Big Beautiful Bill does exactly what voters like me elected Trump to do: provide tax relief and strong border enforcement. Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025 On the contrary, Van Epps said she’s never used ChatGPT and has no interest in learning about it anytime soon. Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025 Britt Tiered Maxi Dress On the contrary, this sleeveless summer dress is the perfect warm weather staple that’ll get you through the next few months of sky-high (literally) temperatures. Shalwah Evans, People.com, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for the contrary

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The contrary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20contrary. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!