contradict
kon-truh-DIKT
/ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkt/
To deny the truth of a statement by asserting the opposite; to be in conflict with.
Can refer to a person speaking against another, or to two facts that cannot both be true.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'contra-' (against) and 'dicere' (to say). It was originally used in legal contexts to describe a defendant speaking against the charges.
Word relationships
- refute: Refute means to prove a statement wrong, while contradict is simply to say the opposite.
- gainsay: Gainsay is a very formal, old-fashioned way to say contradict.
- corroborate: Corroborate means to provide evidence that supports a statement.
- confirm: Confirm means to verify that something is true.
Commonly confused with
- contrast: Contrast shows differences; contradict shows that one must be false if the other is true.
Word family
- contradiction (noun): A combination of statements or ideas that are opposed to one another.
- contradictory (adjective): Mutually opposed or inconsistent.
Collocations
- contradict each other
- directly contradict
- contradict a claim
Example sentences
- "Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself." Walt Whitman's famous poem about the complexity of the self.
- "The new evidence seems to contradict the previous findings of the study." A scientist reviewing data that doesn't match a theory.
Memory hook
Think of a 'Contra' (against) 'Dict' (speech). You are speaking against what was just said. Saying the opposite.
When not to use
Don't use it to mean 'disagree' in a soft way; it implies a direct opposition of facts.
Fun facts
- In logic, a 'contradiction in terms' is a phrase where the words cancel each other out, like 'organized chaos'.
Explore more words
refute, rebuttal, refutation, impeach, dispute, hypocritical
Also appears in
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