contradict
/ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌkän-trə-ˈdikt/ (ame, mw)
contradict — verb
- contradictpresent simple I / you / we / they
- contradictshe / she / it
- contradictedpast simple
- contradicting-ing form
1. For a person: to state that another person's claim is not true, typically by off
For a person: to state that another person's claim is not true, typically by offering a different opinion. For facts or statements: to show such strong differences that both cannot be correct.
Maeve contradicted her brother when he claimed the restaurant was closed on Sundays.
The witness's statement was contradicted by security camera footage.
passive: be contradicted by [evidence]
The two laboratory reports contradict each other on the key finding.
Tara hates it when someone contradicts her during a team meeting.
Trang realised that his own arguments contradicted what he had said the day before.
- deny
Stronger focus on refusing to accept a claim; less about offering a counter-position.
- refute
More formal; implies providing evidence or reasoning that proves something wrong.
- dispute
Suggests arguing against a claim but may stop short of outright denial.
- conflict with
Used only for facts or statements; a less confrontational alternative to 'contradict'.
- agree with
For facts or statements being consistent with each other.
- confirm
To support rather than deny what someone has said.
- corroborate
Formal; to provide supporting evidence for a statement or claim.
文法句型
contradict + noun phrase (person, statement, or claim)
contradict + each other / oneself
用法筆記
Subject can be either a person (meaning 'to say the opposite') or a fact/statement (meaning 'to be in conflict with'). When the subject is a person, the object is typically the person whose claim is being denied. This sense does not take a preposition — 'contradict someone' (not 'contradict against someone').