the contrary
noun
: an opposite or different fact, event, or situation
He was sure his sister had made a mistake, but the contrary was true: she was right and he was wrong.
Examples of the contrary in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To the contrary, said Ron Daniels, convener of the National African American Reparations Commission.
—
Joe Davidson, Washington Post, 21 June 2024
Despite his claims to the contrary, Smith was closely connected to the powerful political machine run by Tom Pendergast.
—Randy Mason, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2024
Her statement flew in the face of mounting historical evidence to the contrary, notably the acclaimed Legacies of British Slavery database.
—Corinne Fowler / Made By History, TIME, 17 June 2024
And the 1994 movie adaptation starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt wasn’t a persuasive argument to the contrary.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for the contrary 
Joe Davidson, Washington Post, 21 June 2024
Despite his claims to the contrary, Smith was closely connected to the powerful political machine run by Tom Pendergast.
—Randy Mason, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2024
Her statement flew in the face of mounting historical evidence to the contrary, notably the acclaimed Legacies of British Slavery database.
—Corinne Fowler / Made By History, TIME, 17 June 2024
And the 1994 movie adaptation starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt wasn’t a persuasive argument to the contrary.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for the contrary
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the contrary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“The contrary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20contrary. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
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