Dictionary

on the contrary en · ADP

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Meanings

1. (conjunctive) Opposite of what had earlier been expected or assumed; to the contrary.
   • Even if they managed to strike Japan, the United States or South Korea with nuclear weapons — a big if, given that they do not have a reliable delivery system — they could not save themselves from ultimate defeat. On the contrary, the use of nuclear or other terror weapons would be certain to invite overwhelming retaliation, delivering North Korea’s decision makers to a fiery oblivion. 2013 April 9, Andrei Lankov, “Stay Cool. Call North Korea’s Bluff.”, in New York Times:
   • Many persons have an idea that a habitually dark room is best for the eyes. On the contrary, it weakens them and renders them permanently unable to bear the light of the sun. 1876, Eliza Bisbee Duffey, Our Behaviour: A Manual of Etiquette and Dress of the Best American Society, Philadelphia:

Relateds

to the contrary

Synonyms

per contra (opposite of what had earlier been assumed) · far from it (opposite of what had earlier been assumed) · au contraire (opposite of what had earlier been assumed) · if anything (opposite of what had earlier been assumed) · contrariwise

Translations (86)

nb tvert om (opposite) · ar عَلَى الْعَكْس (opposite) · de im Gegenteil (opposite) · sv tvärtom (opposite) · az əksinə (opposite) · ca al contrari (opposite) · is þvert á móti (opposite) · ar بِالْعَكْس (opposite) · mi ehara (opposite) · it al contrario (opposite) · pt pelo contrário (opposite) · la immō (opposite) · es a contrarruta (opposite) · it anzi (opposite) · cs naopak (opposite) · cmn 反之 (opposite) · nn tvert om (opposite) · cmn 反而 (opposite) · es por el contrario (opposite) · sk naopak (opposite) · ca contràriament (opposite) · fi pikemminkin (opposite) · fi sitä vastoin (opposite) · ro dimpotrivă (opposite) · es por la inversa (opposite) · yi להיפּוך (opposite) · hy ընդհակառակը (opposite) · uz aksincha (opposite) · hu ellenkezőleg (opposite) · ru напро́тив (opposite) · arc אַדְּרַבָּה (opposite) · he נַהֲפוֹךְ הוּא (opposite) · mi engari (opposite) · nb tvert imot (opposite) · th ในทางกลับกัน (opposite) · ru наоборо́т (opposite) · acw بالعكس (opposite) · ro din contră (opposite) · da tværtimod (opposite) · pl wręcz przeciwnie (opposite) · pl przeciwnie (opposite) · be наадваро́т (opposite) · mhr мӧҥгешла (opposite) · ht okontrè (opposite) · la ē contrāriō (opposite) · yi פּונקט פֿאַרקערט (opposite) · fi kun taas (opposite) · ba киреһенсә (opposite) · ary بالعكس (opposite) · yi פֿאַרקערט (opposite) · mhr даже мӧҥгешла (opposite) · af inteendeel (opposite) · nl integendeel (opposite) · pt ao contrário (opposite) · el αντίθετα (opposite) · fi toisin (opposite) · sh dapače (opposite) · mi kāhore (opposite) · ast al contrariu (opposite) · lb am Géigendeel (opposite) · bg напро́тив (opposite) · mi ehara tonu (opposite) · he לְהֶפֶךְ (opposite) · sh upravo suprotno (opposite) · es al contrario (opposite) · he אַדְּרַבָּה (opposite) · fo tvørturímóti (opposite) · uk навпаки́ (opposite) · eo kontraŭe (opposite) · ca per contra (opposite) · fi päinvastoin (opposite) · es a la inversa (opposite) · grc τοὐναντίον (opposite) · fr au contraire (opposite) · wa estô (opposite) · ko 오히려 (opposite) · ja それどころか (opposite) · fo harafturímóti (opposite) · yi אַדרבא (opposite) · gl ao contrario (opposite) · cmn 相反 (opposite) · cmn 與此相反 /与此相反 (opposite) · ur اس کے برخلاف (opposite) · he אִיפְּכָא מִסְתַּבְּרָא (opposite) · la contrāriō (opposite) · bn অন্য দিকে (opposite)