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🚫 To break rules 🙅 To deny
to contravene

to contravene

1 8.3
To say that a statement is not true
  • verb
  • /ˌkɒntrəˈviːn/
translation icon : contradecir
  • If it's wrong, or parts of it are inaccurate, I'm sure there will be a flurry of examples that contravene what I'm saying.

Examples

  • But even those with short memories can recall that Boehner, who ran unopposed in his Ohio district, is never steadfast in his opposition to all sorts of things that contravene his supposed limited-government bona fides.

    Blog text (29)

  • I think in addition to that, what happens when you're confronted with a truth that contravenes your, your world view?

  • The action or policy then needs to be fairly assessed in light of these data, and one needs to be brutally realistic about likely outcomes even if they contravene one's ideological preferences.

    Blog text (15)

  • "To present" biblical creation "would" contravene the Establishment Clause, "but instruction in" scientific creationism "would serve" to neutralize a public school course that exclusively presents the general theory of evolution." (n27)

    Academic text (1991)

  • The new evidence presented in court did not contravene the original witness's statement.

  • To claim that the report is accurate would contravene the findings of the recent investigation.

  • Her actions clearly contravene the company's policy on harassment.

Synonyms

to deny
vsto contravene
∞ 2.0

To say that something is not true

focuses on showing the opposite of a claim rather than merely refusing it
to disagree
vsto contravene
∞ 1.0

Have a different opinion from someone

is more about asserting a claim is untrue rather than simply having a different view
to contradict
vsto contravene
174 3.7

To say that something is not true or the opposite of what someone says

is more about verbally rejecting the claim rather than proving it false
to refute
vsto contravene
  • Formal
88 6.2

To show that an idea or statement is false using evidence

is about opposing a claim without necessarily proving it false
to disprove
vsto contravene
66 4.5

To show that an idea or claim is not true

is more about opposing a claim rather than proving it false
to negate
vsto contravene
52 5.3

To make something no longer work or be true

is more about rejecting a statement's truth rather than causing its effects to fail
to rebut
vsto contravene
21 7.0

To say or show that a claim is wrong

is more about opposing a claim rather than presenting argumentative evidence to prove it wrong
to discredit
vsto contravene
16 5.6

To say that something is not true or trustworthy

is more about opposing a statement's truth rather than attacking its trustworthiness
to disconfirm
vsto contravene
1 7.4

To show by facts that an idea or belief is not true

is more about opposing truth directly rather than focusing on absent evidence

Antonyms

to support
∞ 1.0

Give help to a person or idea

to confirm
∞ 1.8

To show that something is true by giving evidence

How Strongly

to refute
  • Formal
88 6.2
to contravene
1 8.3
to deny
∞ 2.0
to challenge
  • Formal
552 4.3
to question
777 3.5

Surface Forms

contravene infinitive
contravened past
contravened past participle
contravening present participle
contravenes third person singular

Morphology

contravene = contra + vene

The prefix 'contra-' signals opposition (so 'contradict/deny' is plausible), but because the root is not a transparent English base, learners cannot fully reconstruct the verb from parts alone.

Etymology

Contravene also keeps the same basic idea from Latin: contra 'against' and venire 'to come', meaning to 'come against' something. So, to contravene a statement is to come against it — to deny or argue against what someone has said.