contravene

verb

con·​tra·​vene ˌkän-trə-ˈvēn 

contravened; contravening

transitive verb

1

: to go or act contrary to : violate

contravene a law

2

: to oppose in argument : contradict

contravene a proposition

contravener noun

Did you know?

Contravene is most often used in reference to laws. So a government may take a company to court claiming that its policies are in contravention of national labor laws. The contravention of copyright laws is a big topic today especially where electronic information is involved. And a country might be punished if a trade organization finds that it's contravening international trade agreements.

Synonyms

• breach
• break
• fracture
• infringe (on or upon)
• offend
• traduce
• transgress
• violate

Choose the Right Synonym for contravene

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 contravene in a Sentence

The overcrowded dance club contravened safety regulations.

the unauthorized reproduction of the image contravenes copyright laws

Recent Examples on the Web

But his policies have also contravened the rule of law in the Central American country, ignoring individual civil rights and undermining democracy. —Ellen Ioanes, Vox, 20 June 2024

Their actions contravened any sense of law and humanitarian principles. —Ami Ayalon, Foreign Affairs, 11 Apr. 2024

By imposing a federal standard for incorporation, the CTA allegedly oversteps Congress's powers and contravenes the principles of federalism and state autonomy. —Matthew Erskine, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

All discussions to that end have been a sham, obviously so: contravening international law, settlement began virtually days after the end of the 1967 war—particularly in the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem—and has not let up since. —Frederick Kaufman, Harper's Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French contrevenir, from Late Latin contravenire, from Latin contra- + venire to come — more at come

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1