contradictory
contradictory — adjective
1. When facts, statements, or pieces of advice are contradictory, they express oppo
When facts, statements, or pieces of advice are contradictory, they express opposite ideas, so believing one means rejecting the other.
The two witnesses gave contradictory accounts of what happened at the bank.
contradictory accounts — two versions of the same event that disagree
Shanti's doctor offered advice that seemed contradictory to her colleague's opinion.
contradictory to [noun] — common preposition pattern
The results from the first experiment were completely contradictory to the second.
Isabela found contradictory information in two different textbooks on the same topic.
It seems contradictory to claim you love animals while working for a fur company.
- conflicting
Broader term covering schedules, interests, or emotions; 'conflicting needs' feels natural, while 'contradictory needs' is less common.
- inconsistent
Focuses on internal lack of agreement within a single system or set of ideas, not necessarily direct opposition.
- incompatible
Suggests two things cannot exist or work together at all, often used for systems, personalities, or software.
- consistent
Agreeing with each other without conflict; the opposite of internally contradictory.
- compatible
Able to exist or work together harmoniously.
文法句型
contradictory + noun (e.g., contradictory statements)
be/seem/appear + contradictory
contradictory to + noun
常見錯誤
2. Used in formal logic to describe a pair of statements where one is true and the
Used in formal logic to describe a pair of statements where one is true and the other false, with no middle possibility between them.
In the philosophy exam, Hui had to identify pairs of contradictory statements using truth tables.
contradictory statements — technical term in logic
The terms 'all humans are mortal' and 'some humans are not mortal' form a contradictory pair in logic.
Mert learned that contradictory propositions cannot both be false under any interpretation.
When Christopher drew the Venn diagram, the contradictory relationship became visually clear.
文法句型
contradictory + noun (e.g., contradictory propositions)
be + contradictory
用法筆記
This sense is almost exclusively used in logic or philosophy. Distinguish from sense 1 (CONFLICTING), which applies to everyday statements and situations where facts or opinions disagree.
常見錯誤
contradictory — noun
1. In formal logic, each member of a pair of opposite statements that are connected
In formal logic, each member of a pair of opposite statements that are connected so that when one statement is correct, the other is incorrect, and when one is incorrect, the other is correct.
In logic class, Kemi learned that for any contradictory, one proposition always denies the other.
for any contradictory — noun usage of contradictory
A contradictory is the direct opposite of another proposition in a logical system.
Trang proved that the two statements were contradictories by showing they could never agree.
The professor explained that contradictories are different from contraries in formal logic.
- opposite proposition
Less precise but more accessible paraphrase; does not carry the strict logical definition of 'contradictory'.
- negation
One specific type of contradictory relationship; narrower in that it focuses on the logical denial of a single proposition.
文法句型
a contradictory of + noun
contradictories in logic
用法筆記
In formal logic, contradictories differ from contraries: contradictories cannot both be true AND cannot both be false, whereas contraries cannot both be true but CAN both be false. This is a technical term rarely used outside academic philosophy or mathematics.