Synonyms for contradictory
- adjective
Most common
All synonyms
Adjective
1. Conflicting
conflicting, inconsistent, self-contradictory, contrary, paradoxical, opposite, incongruous, antagonistic, discordant, opposing, repugnant, alien, converse, irreconcilable, discrepant formal, inimical, adverse
Other
incompatible, confounding, mutually exclusive, antonymous, contradictorial, contrarious dated
Definitions
- adj. 1
That contradicts something, such as an argument.
Related words
- Word family
- contradictorily contradictoriness contradict contradiction
- Phrases
- contradictory antonym
Example sentences
- contrary They say he is guilty, but I believe the contrary.
- inconsistent Nursery rhymes are deliberately inconsistent texts.
- conflicting Conflicting ideas can spark important discussions.
- incompatible This activity is incompatible with your position.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| contradictory | rising | |
| contrary | falling | |
| inconsistent | steady | |
| conflicting | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- alien3
- 7 letters
- adverse2
- 8 letters
- opposite3, contrary3, opposing3, converse2, inimical4
- 9 letters
- repugnant3
- 10 letters
- discordant3, discrepant, antonymous
- 11 letters
- conflicting3, paradoxical5, confounding3, incongruous4, contrarious
- 12 letters
- inconsistent4, incompatible5, antagonistic5
- 14 letters
- irreconcilable6
- 15 letters
- contradictorial
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (alien3 = 3 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- contradictoire
- Italiano
- contraddittorio
- Deutsch
- widersprüchlich
- Català
- contradictori