contrary

Type: preposition, adjective, noun

Definitions: (preposition) If an act or idea is contrary to something, it is against it. (adjective) A contrary view, sentence, etc. is opposite to other ones. (noun) The contrary is the opposite of an idea, sentence, etc.

Examples: (preposition) The president’s actions are contrary to the constitution and therefore illegal. (preposition) Contrary to popular belief, Eskimos don’t have a huge number of words for ‘snow’. (adjective) The contrary view is that space exploration is a waste of money. (noun) Having an ego is not necessarily bad; on the contrary, it is sometimes quite useful. (noun) It is best to believe people are good, at least until the contrary is shown.

Synonyms: nouns: opposite, inverse. adjectives: opposite, reverse, contradictory. prepositions: opposite.

Academic Word List Sublist and Group: 7 E