contradict
kon-truh-DIKT
/ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkt/
To assert the opposite of a statement made by someone; to be in conflict with.
Can refer to verbal statements or to facts/behaviors that are logically inconsistent with one another.
The story behind the word. Derived from the Latin contradicere, meaning 'to speak against.' It is built from contra (against) and dicere (to speak, which also gives us dictation, dictionary, and dictator).
Word relationships
- gainsay: Gainsay is archaic and literary, whereas contradict is the standard, everyday term.
- oppose: Oppose means to actively fight against something, while contradict focuses on logical or verbal inconsistency.
- corroborate: Corroborate means to support or confirm with other evidence.
- agree: Agree means to have the same opinion or to be consistent with.
Commonly confused with
- contrast: Contrast means to show differences between two things, while contradict means to declare one of them false or impossible in light of the other.
Word family
- contradiction (noun): A combination of statements, ideas, or features which are opposed to one another.
- contradictory (adjective): Mutually opposed or inconsistent.
Collocations
- contradict flatly
- contradict each other
- directly contradict
- evidence contradicts
Idioms & expressions
- clash head-on
Example sentences
- "The witness's testimony began to contradict the physical evidence found at the scene." A witness in a courtroom trial.
- "It is bad practice for parents to contradict each other in front of their children." Parenting advice.
Memory hook
Contra (against) + Dict (speak) = Speaking against. Speak against.
When not to use
Do not use when you are merely offering a different perspective; it implies a direct logical clash.
Fun facts
- A 'contradiction in terms' (or oxymoron) is a phrase where the words directly oppose each other, like 'deafening silence' or 'organized chaos.'
Explore more words
refute, rebuttal, refutation, impeach, dispute, hypocritical
Also appears in
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