contradict

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌkɑn.tɹəˈdɪkt/ UK /ˌkɒn.tɹəˈdɪkt/ See IPA manual

Freq #16767

Meanings

1

verb
To say that something someone said is not true.

Usage: You can contradict a person or a statement directly. Contradicting a statement means saying it is false; two pieces of evidence can also contradict each other.

I must contradict your claim that the building was empty; I was inside.

His testimony contradicts hers.
2

verb
To be so different from something else that both cannot be true.

The new evidence contradicts the earlier report.
3

verb
To say something that conflicts with what you said before.

The prime minister contradicted herself during her speech.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to say that something... deny dispute

2 verb · to be so different from... conflict withoppose

More contravene controvertdisconfirmgainsay question refutewithspeak

Word family

Forms contradictedcontradictingcontradictorscontradictsuncontradicted

Derived forms contradickcontradictablecontradictercontradictiveself-contradict

Related forms contradiction contradictory

Etymology

From Latin contrādictus, the participle of contrādīcō, to speak against. That verb combines contrā with dīcō, whose infinitive is dīcere.

*deyḱ- Proto-Indo-European contrādictus Latin dicere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# contradict

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˌkɑn.tɹəˈdɪkt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌkɒn.tɹəˈdɪkt/
**Frequency rank:** 16767

## Meanings
1. To say that something someone said is not true.
2. To be so different from something else that both cannot be true.
3. To say something that conflicts with what you said before.

## Usage Notes
- To say that something someone said is not true.: You can contradict a person or a statement directly. Contradicting a statement means saying it is false; two pieces of evidence can also contradict each other.

## Examples
- I must contradict your claim that the building was empty; I was inside.
- His testimony contradicts hers.
- The new evidence contradicts the earlier report.
- The prime minister contradicted herself during her speech.

## Synonyms
- contravene
- controvert
- deny
- disconfirm
- dispute
- gainsay
- question
- refute
- withspeak

## Derived Forms
- contradick
- contradictable
- contradicter
- contradictive
- self-contradict

## Related Forms
- contradiction
- contradictory

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *deyḱ-
- Root: contrādictus
- Affix: contra- - against
- Root: dicere - to say

## Etymology
From Latin contrādictus, the participle of contrādīcō, to speak against. That verb combines contrā with dīcō, whose infinitive is dīcere.

## AI Etymology
contradict is a verb. It is derived from Latin contrādictus (“contradicted”), the past participle of contrādīcō (“speak against”) (originally two words). Historical forms in the chain include *deyḱ- (Proto-Indo-European) and contrādictus (Latin). Current senses include to say that something someone said is not true, to be so different from something else that both cannot be true, and to say something that conflicts with what you said before. Derived forms include contradick, contradictable, contradicter, contradictive, and self-contradict. Related words include contradiction and contradictory.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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