to the contrary
56
4.3
- idiom
:
al contrario
- And if we see some evidence to the contrary, we reject it.
- evidence to the contrary
- quite to the contrary
- argue to the contrary
And so to the, to the contrary, we yearn for it.
- And so to the, to the contrary, we yearn for it.
- Democrats, to the contrary, don't spend enough time bashing RedState policies.
- Delusions are false, fixed beliefs that you hold despite evidence to the contrary.
- I I had not really shed that belief because I had no information to the contrary.
- I've said after a long description, it feels like I've supplied a lot of evidence to the contrary.
- But to pretend that what's happened hasn't happened and actively say something to the contrary, that is, yeah, quite something.
- But Sandy Hook did happen, and Jones's suggestion that there was any evidence to the contrary was and remains A pernicious lie.
- When you have someone that suffers from confirmation bias and you bring them evidence to the contrary, it actually deepens their bias.
- When you bring them evidence to the contrary, what you're actually doing is assaulting their their belief about their own mortality.
- And so the real meaning of, of being a Christ is holding something in a higher vision, despite appearances to the contrary.
- It's rather to the contrary, claims that quantum computers will not work rest on speculative new physics.
Examples
-
No, quite to the contrary.
-
You might think this is abnormal for me, but to the contrary, it's customary.
Blog text (8) -
No matter how much proof I get to the contrary, I I still have to work through that fear.
-
If M has any ideas to the contrary, that gives us an edge.
-
There are those who believe they can win in the face of all evidence to the contrary.
-
I considered the idea that he might believe in these things, despite his statement to the contrary.
Fiction book (1998) -
I would argue, to the contrary, that they are needed more than ever.
Academic text (2015) -
"Despite propaganda to the contrary, we have a class structure in America," he said.
Fiction book (1996) -
Despite the conventional wisdom to the contrary, it is not even clear that HMOs save money.
Academic text (1993) -
Despite the forecast, it turned out to be sunny, proving all predictions to the contrary.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Instead of that, say or do something different
357
2.8
Shows a different idea from what you said before
68
3.2
To say the opposite to correct a wrong idea
46
3.2
To show a different idea or possibility
42
4.6
To introduce a statement that shows the opposite of what was just said
3
8.9
To say that something is the opposite of what was just said
1
7.9
In a way that is the opposite of what you expect
1
6.5
In a way that is the opposite of what was expected
1
5.8
It happens the other way or on the other side
In a way that is the opposite of what was said
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
to + the + contrary
The phrase literally combines the prepositional frame 'to the ...' with 'contrary' meaning 'opposite', so its overall meaning 'in an opposite way' is directly inferable from the parts. This compositional pattern is common in English and across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily understand it.
Etymology
To the contrary may come from the simple image of pointing the other way, because the word contrary means 'opposite'. So when someone says to the contrary, they are offering information that goes 'against' what was said before.