Hui Shi had many ingenious notions. His writings would fill five carriages; but his doctrines were erroneous and contradictory, and his words were wide of their mark.
Source: tatoeba (883074)
Contradictory
/ˌkɒntɹəˈdɪkt(ə)ɹi/
Synonyms for "contradictory" (212 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (43)
Adjective(6 words)
abjuratoryabnegativeabsonantadversaryadversativeadverseadversivealienambiguousambivalentantagonisticantiantipatheticantipodalantipodeantipodeanantipoleantithesisantitheticantithetical
Show 13 more words
antonymousat cross purposesat cross-purposesat loggerheadsat oddsat varianceat warbalancingbreakawayclashingcompensatingcompetitivecon
Noun(1 words)
Strong matches (63)
conflictingconfoundingconfrontingconfusedconfutativeconfutingcontracontradictingcontradistinctcontrapositivecontrariouscontrarycontrary to reasoncontrastedconversecountercounteractantcounteractingcounteractivecounterbalancing
Show 35 more words
counterpoisedcounterpolecountervailingcounterworkingcrankycrosscrotchetydead againstdenyingdestructivedifferingdisaccordantdisaffirmingdisagreeabledisagreeingdisallowingdisavowingdisclaimingdiscordantdiscrepantdisharmoniousdisowningdisproportionatedissentientdissidentdissimilardissonantdivergentdiverseenemyeyeball to eyeballfallaciousfaultyflawedfractious
Adjective(4 words)
Noun(2 words)
conflicting goalscounter evidence
Verb(2 words)
Related words (106)
Adjective(17 words)
french contradictionincompatible componentinconsistentinconsistent behaviorinconsistent conductinconsistent issueinconsistent patterninconsistent resultsinconsistent routinesinconsistent specificationsmismatchedmutual inconsistencymutually exclusiveopposingparadoxicalpropositional contradictionweak explanation
gratinghostileillogicalimmiscibleinaccordantinauthenticincompatibleinconclusiveincongruousinconsequentinconsequentialinconsistentinharmoniousinimicalinvalidinverseirrationaljanglingjarringloose
Show 64 more words
mixednegatingnegativenegatorynonconformistnoncooperativenonscientificnot followingnullifyingobstinateobverseopponentopposedopposingoppositeoppositionaloppositiveoppugnantout of accordout of whackoverthwartparadoxicalparalogicalperversepolarpuzzlingreactionaryreasonlessrecalcitrantrecantingrefractoryrefutativerefutatoryrefutingrenitentrenunciativerenunciatoryrepudiativerepugnantresistantreverserevocativerevocatoryrevolutionaryrivalself-annullingself-contradictoryself-refutingsenselesssquared offunauthenticuncongenialunconnecteduncooperativeunfavorableunfriendlyunharmoniousunphilosophicalunpropitiousunreasonableunscientificvariantwithout reasonwithout rhyme or reason
Noun(4 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: conflicting, self-contradictory, abjuratory, abnegative, absonant.
- Sentence evidence is available for contradictory, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "contradictory".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "contradictory"
Keep "contradictory" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "contradictory" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "contradictory", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "contradictory" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
4 entriesCollocations
6 entriescontradictory claimscontradictory datacontradictory evidencecontradictory findingscontradictory resultscontradictory statements
Inflections
2 entriesmore contradictorymost contradictory
Derivations
2 entriessimilar
4 entriesSample sentences
15 total sentences available.
The stories that circulated about the old graveyard were contradictory, but nevertheless made your heart freeze.
Source: tatoeba (965563)
This will almost certainly have contradictory consequences and effects.
Source: tatoeba (1259490)
One thing, however, is much less equivocal, which is, that out of the matters contained in those books, together with the assistance of some old stories, the church has set up a system of religion very contradictory to the character of the person whose name it bears.
Source: tatoeba (1530065)
Showing 4 of 15 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "contradictory"?
Closest matches include conflicting, self-contradictory, abjuratory, abnegative, absonant.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "contradictory"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.