contrary (redirected from contraries)

contrary to something

in spite of something that seems to suggest otherwise; regardless of something else. Contrary to what you might think, I am neat and tidy. Contrary to public opinion, my uncle is well and healthy.

to the contrary and on the contrary

as the opposite of what has been stated; contrary to what has been stated. The brown horse didn't beat the black horse. To the contrary, the black one won. Among spiders, the male is not the larger one. On the contrary, the female is larger.

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contrary to popular belief/opinion

something that you say before you make a statement that is the opposite of what most people believe Contrary to popular belief, bottled water is not always better than tap water.

See also: belief

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on the contrary

just the opposite, esp. of something said or believed The evidence of history, on the contrary, shows that these ancient people had a very advanced culture.

Usage notes: often used to disagree with someone or something and to present new information

to the contrary

suggesting or showing that the opposite is true Unless you have specific information to the contrary, it is obvious that she is lying.