contradict

verb

con·​tra·​dict ˌkän-trə-ˈdikt How to pronounce contradict (audio)
contradicted; contradicting; contradicts

transitive verb

1
: to assert the contrary of : take issue with
contradict a rumor
She contradicted her brother's account of what happened.
2
: to imply the opposite or a denial of
Your actions contradict your words.
The evidence contradicts his testimony.
contradictable adjective
contradictor noun
Choose the Right Synonym for contradict

deny, gainsay, contradict, contravene mean to refuse to accept as true or valid.

deny implies a firm refusal to accept as true, to grant or concede, or to acknowledge the existence or claims of.

denied the charges

gainsay implies disputing the truth of what another has said.

no one can gainsay her claims

contradict implies an open or flat denial.

her account contradicts his

contravene implies not so much an intentional opposition as some inherent incompatibility.

laws that contravene tradition

Examples of contradict in a Sentence

He contradicted the charges of his critics. My sister doesn't like being contradicted. The mayor's actions in office contradicted the promises he made during the campaign.
Recent Examples on the Web The view of the investigator, Jesse Prado, contradicts reports from the Department of Justice and the Texas House of Representatives that there were multiple failures with the law enforcement operation that left a gunman unchallenged in a school for 77 minutes. Shimon Prokupecz, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 But, the driver said, Mr. Trump never lunged for the steering wheel or physically accosted the agents, contradicting the most sensational and hotly disputed elements of testimony given to the House Jan. 6 committee by a White House aide. Luke Broadwater, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 Those limits would contradict public assurances from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office that Israel had decided not to significantly curtail access to the mosque. Sufian Taha, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Senate results contradict California stereotype March 6, 2024 There was no ballot-stuffing, no illicit payoffs, no decisive carton of uncounted ballots mysteriously turning up in the night at a fruit stand outside Yucaipa. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 However, research contradicts this tale, indicating that snakes never inhabited the Emerald Isle — as the entire island was once covered in ice, and there is no fossil evidence of snakes in the region. Diane J. Cho, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 Inside EVs also contradicts the X user’s assertion that a valet caused the crash and blames the accident on the vehicle’s driver, who is not named by the publication. Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Mar. 2024 The Bank of England tested the insurance and banking industries together in 2021 as part of the climate biennial exploratory scenario test to flush out contradicting assumptions about who will have to absorb ever increasing financial losses from natural catastrophes. Nina Seega, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Both McCasland and Salameh's accounts contradict that finding. The Arizona Republic, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contradict.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin contrādictus, past participle of contrādīcere, contrā dīcere "to speak against, object to, oppose, assert the contrary," from contrā contra- + dīcere "to talk, speak, say" — more at diction

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of contradict was in 1582

Dictionary Entries Near contradict

Cite this Entry

“Contradict.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contradict. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

contradict

verb
con·​tra·​dict ˌkän-trə-ˈdikt How to pronounce contradict (audio)
1
: to say the opposite of what someone else has said : deny the truth of
2
: to be opposed or contrary to : go against
your actions contradict your words
contradictor noun

More from Merriam-Webster on contradict

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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