contradict
Meaning: To deny the truth of a statement by asserting the opposite, or to be in conflict with another statement, fact, or action.
Contradict can describe a person disagreeing with someone ('she contradicted her colleague'), or statements or facts being logically incompatible ('the evidence contradicts the official account'). A 'contradiction in terms' is a phrase containing words that oppose each other, similar to an oxymoron. The noun 'contradiction' and adjective 'contradictory' are extremely common in academic writing when analysing conflicting evidence, arguments, or positions.
Examples
- The witness's testimony directly contradicted the statement she had given to the police the previous week. 证人的证词与她前一周向警方提供的陈述直接矛盾。El testimonio de la testigo contradecía directamente la declaración que había prestado a la policía la semana anterior.証人の証言は、その前の週に警察に提出した供述書と真っ向から矛盾していました。증인의 증언은 그 전 주에 경찰에 제출한 진술과 정면으로 모순되었습니다.
- It would be unwise to contradict the professor in front of the entire lecture hall without solid evidence. 在没有确凿证据的情况下,当着全体学生的面反驳教授是不明智的。Sería imprudente contradecir al profesor delante de todo el aula sin pruebas sólidas.確たる証拠もなしに講義室全体の前で教授に反論するのは賢明ではないでしょう。확실한 증거 없이 강의실 전체 앞에서 교수에게 반박하는 것은 현명하지 못할 것입니다.
- The two reports present contradictory conclusions, making it difficult to determine the true cause of the failure. 两份报告得出了相互矛盾的结论,使人难以确定故障的真正原因。Los dos informes presentan conclusiones contradictorias, lo que dificulta determinar la verdadera causa del fallo.二つの報告書は矛盾する結論を提示しており、故障の真の原因を特定するのが困難になっています。두 보고서는 서로 모순되는 결론을 제시하고 있어 고장의 진정한 원인을 파악하기 어렵게 만들고 있습니다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: academic, media, professional
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Latin contradicere (to speak against), from contra- (against) and dicere (to speak, say). Entered English in the 16th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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