contrary
Against the grain
Contrary describes opposition or reversal.
A contrary wind blows against you; a contrary opinion opposes yours.
Contrary to what you might expect, the experiment succeeded.
Someone described as contrary is stubbornly disagreeable, inclined to oppose whatever others say.
On the contrary introduces a statement that reverses what came before.
The noun contrary refers to the opposite: I believe the contrary.
Firmly refusing to yield
- willfulIntentionally unyielding
- stubbornRefusing to change course
- headstrongStubbornly self-willed
- waywardStubbornly self-willed
difficult · uncooperative · cantankerous · ornery · cussed · froward · pigheaded · cross-grained
Diametrically opposed to
- oppositeReverse or contrary thing
- reverseTurn to opposite
- converseEngage in dialogue
- antithesisDirect opposite; contrasting juxtaposition
negation · polar · inverse · antipodal · counterpart · antipode · foil · polarity
Openly resisting control
- insubordinateDefying rightful authority
- disobedientRefusing to follow orders
- recalcitrantStubbornly resistant to control
- nonconformistRejects prevailing social standards
iconoclastic · maverick · resistant · unruly · mutinous · dissenting · oppositional · perverse
Standing against something
- dissentingExpressing disagreement formally
- discordantLacking musical agreement
- clashingStriking with discord
- contentiousInclined toward disagreement
at-odds · disputatious · adversarial · antagonistic · hostile · friction · discord · quarrelsome
Harmful or opposed
- unfavorableNot in your benefit
- inauspiciousShowing poor prospects
- unpropitiousNot favorable for success
- harmfulCausing damage or injury
detrimental · hostile · inimical · disadvantageous · ill · untoward · antagonistic · hindering
obstinate
Firmly refusing to yield
- willfulIntentionally unyielding
- stubbornRefusing to change course
- headstrongStubbornly self-willed
wayward · difficult · uncooperative · cantankerous · ornery · cussed · froward · pigheaded · cross-grained · self-willed
antithetical
Diametrically opposed to
antithesis · negation · polar · inverse · antipodal · counterpart · antipode · foil · polarity · dichotomy
defiant
Openly resisting control
- insubordinateDefying rightful authority
- disobedientRefusing to follow orders
- recalcitrantStubbornly resistant to control
nonconformist · iconoclastic · maverick · resistant · unruly · mutinous · dissenting · oppositional · perverse · refractory
opposing
Standing against something
- dissentingExpressing disagreement formally
- discordantLacking musical agreement
- clashingStriking with discord
contentious · at-odds · disputatious · adversarial · antagonistic · hostile · friction · discord · quarrelsome · combative
adverse
Harmful or opposed
- unfavorableNot in your benefit
- inauspiciousShowing poor prospects
- unpropitiousNot favorable for success
harmful · detrimental · hostile · inimical · disadvantageous · ill · untoward · antagonistic · hindering · obstructive
- oppositesopposite, opposites, antonym, antonyms, inverse
- misbehaviormisbehave, misbehavior, mischief, misconduct, naughty
- hostile attitudeshostile, aggressive, combative, belligerent, adversarial
- music termsmelody, tempo, rhythm, harmony, beat
- interferenceinterfering, meddling, intruding, butting in, obstructing
- reversalsreverse, undo, revert, overturn, flip
contraryagreeable
Pleasantly cooperative
cooperative · accommodating · compliant · amenable · obliging
contraryconsistent
Not varying or contradicting
compatible · agreeing · concordant · harmonious · congruent
- on the contraryIntroducing an opposing viewpoint
- contrast dyeImaging agent for visibility
- compare and contrastAnalyze similarities and differences
- in contrastShowing difference between things
- to the contraryIndicating disagreement with previous statement
- contrary toIn opposition to
contrast, contraption, contradict, contraband, contradictory, contravene, contrarian, contrariness, contradicting