English · Word Candidate

contrary

/ˈkɒntɹəɹi/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: contraries

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Ngược lại; đối lập

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

contrary winds

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Opposed; contradictory; inconsistent.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Phản đối; mâu thuẫn; không nhất quán

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

Galileo [Galilei]'s zeal for his opinions soon led him again to bring the question under the notice of the Pope, and the result was a declaration of the Inquisition that the doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred scripture.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Contrarily

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

ngược lại

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adverb

Examples

I never act contrary to my principles.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

The opposite.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Điều ngược lại

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

No contraries hold more antipathy Than I and such a knave.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “contrary” mean?

Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.

Is “contrary” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.