Standard Lemma guide

contradict

verb · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌkɒn.tɹəˈdɪkt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American, dialectal: /ˌkɑn.tɹəˈdɪkt/ of Canada
  • Canada, dialectal: /ˌkɒn.tɹəˈdɪkt/ of the US
  • Australian: /ˌkɔn.tɹəˈdɪkt/
  • Australian: /ˌkɒn.tɹəˈdɪkt/
  • CMU ARPABET: K AA2 N T R AH0 D IH1 K T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To deny the truth or validity of (a statement or statements).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • His testimony contradicts hers.
  • 1651, Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, London: Andrew Crooke, Chapter 42 “Of Power Ecclesiasticall,” p. 270, [...] the Ministers of Christ in this world, have no Power by that title, to Punish any man for not Beleeving, or for Contradicting what they say;

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To oppose (a person) by denying the truth or pertinence of a given statement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Everything he says contradicts me.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To be contrary to (something).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To say things that conflict with each other.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: reflexive

Examples

  • The prime minister contradicted herself during her speech.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To give an order contrary to (another order or wish), oppose (something).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

Examples

  • 1662, Margaret Cavendish, The Matrimonial Trouble, Act II, Scene 21 in Playes written by the thrice noble, illustrious and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle, London: John Martyn et al., p. 435, Lady Sprightly. What had you to do to contradict my commands? Doll Subtilty. They were not fit to be obey’d, wherefore they were forbid.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To give an order contrary to one given by (another person), oppose or resist (someone).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To speak against; to forbid.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

prove negative; show to be false

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: negate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: prove, demonstrate, establish, show, shew

Narrower terms: invalidate, nullify, disprove, confute

9

verb

Meaning 9

be resistant to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The board opposed his motion

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: oppose, controvert

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: refute, rebut

Narrower terms: veto, blackball, negative, protest, resist, dissent

10

verb

Meaning 10

deny the truth of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: negate, contravene

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: disagree, differ, dissent, take issue

Narrower terms: deny

11

verb

Meaning 11

be in contradiction with

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: belie, negate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: deviate, vary, diverge, depart

History

Etymology

Derived from Latin contrādictus (“contradicted”), the past participle of contrādīcō (“speak against”) (originally two words).

Across languages

Translations

85 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: kundërthem — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Breton: dislavaret — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Bulgarian: опровергавам (oprovergavam) — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Bulgarian: отричам (otričam) — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Catalan: contradir — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Dutch: tegenspreken — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Esperanto: kontraŭdiri — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Finnish: kiistää — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • French: contredire — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • German: widersprechen — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Ancient Greek: ἀντιλογέω (antilogéō) — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Hebrew: סתר (satár) — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Hungarian: ellentmond — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Hungarian: ellenkezik — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Hungarian: ellentétben áll — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Ido: kontredicar — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Italian: contraddire — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Italian: contestare — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Japanese: 言い返す (iikaesu) — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Japanese: 反論する (hanron suru) — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Japanese: 反駁する (hambaku suru) — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Kazakh: қарамақарсы шығу (qaramaqarsy şyğu) — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Latin: īnfitior — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Lithuanian: prieštarauti — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Māori: whakahorihori — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Māori: tātā — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Māori: hoihoi — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Norwegian Bokmål: motsi — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: motseie — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: motseia — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Old English: wiþcweþan — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Polish: zaprzeczać — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Portuguese: contradizer — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Portuguese: desdizer — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Quechua: ayñiy — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Romanian: contrazice — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Russian: противоре́чить (protivoréčitʹ) — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Spanish: contradecir — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Swedish: förneka — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Ukrainian: суперечити (superečyty) — deny the truth of (a statement or statements)
  • Breton: dislavaret — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Bulgarian: противореча (protivoreča) — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Catalan: contradir — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Danish: modsige — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Dutch: tegenspreken — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Finnish: kiistää — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • French: contredire — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • German: widersprechen — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Hungarian: ellentmond — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Hungarian: vitába száll — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Italian: contraddire — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Japanese: 言い返す (iikaesu) — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Japanese: 反論する (hanron suru) — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Japanese: 反駁する (hambaku suru) — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Kazakh: қарсы сөзге келу (qarsy sözge kelu) — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Latin: adversor — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Latin: contrādīcō — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Latin: refrāgor — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Lithuanian: prieštarauti — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Māori: whakahorihori — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Māori: hoihoi — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Norwegian Bokmål: motsi — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: motseie — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: motseia — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Old English: wiþcweþan — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Polish: zaprzeczać — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Polish: dementować — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Portuguese: contradizer — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Portuguese: desdizer — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Romanian: contrazice — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Russian: перечить (perečitʹ) — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Russian: противоре́чить (protivoréčitʹ) — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Spanish: contradecir — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Swedish: motsäga — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Swedish: säga emot — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Ukrainian: заперечувати (zaperečuvaty) — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Vietnamese: phủ nhận — deny the truth of statements made by (a person)
  • Arabic: نَاقَضَ (nāqaḍa) — to be contrary to
  • Hungarian: ellenkezik — to be contrary to
  • Hungarian: ellentétes — to be contrary to
  • Italian: contrariare — to be contrary to
  • Kazakh: тайталасу (taitalasu) — to be contrary to
  • Māori: tātā — to be contrary to
  • Old English: wiþcweþan — to be contrary to
  • Spanish: contrariar — to be contrary to