contrary vs contrast :

contrary or contrast

The phrases “on the contrary” and “to the contrary” are used to reply to an opposing point. Your friend tells you she is moving to New York and you express surprise because you thought she hated big cities. She replies, “On the contrary, I’ve always wanted to live in an urban area.”When a distinction is being made that does not involve opposition of this sort, “in contrast” is appropriate. “In New York, you don’t need a car. In Los Angeles, in contrast, you can’t really get along without one, though you won’t need a snow shovel.” Here’s a simple test: if you could possibly substitute “that’s wrong” the phrase you want is “on the contrary” or “to the contrary.” If not, then use “in contrast.”

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Definitions

  • n  a relation of direct opposition
  • n  exact opposition
    public opinion to the contrary he is not guilty
  • n  a logical relation such that two propositions are contraries if both cannot be true but both can be false
  • s  very opposed in nature or character or purpose
    acts contrary to our code of ethics
    the facts point to a contrary conclusion
  • s  of words or propositions so related that both cannot be true but both may be false
    `hot' and `cold' are contrary terms
  • s  resistant to guidance or discipline
    Mary Mary quite contrary
  • s  in an opposing direction
    a contrary wind

  • n  the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared
    in contrast to", "by contrast
  • n  the act of distinguishing by comparing differences
  • n  a conceptual separation or distinction
  • n  the perceptual effect of the juxtaposition of very different colors
  • n  the range of optical density and tone on a photographic negative or print (or the extent to which adjacent areas on a television screen differ in brightness)
  • v  put in opposition to show or emphasize differences
    The middle school teacher contrasted her best student's work with that of her weakest student
  • v  to show differences when compared; be different
    the students contrast considerably in their artistic abilities
News & Articles

  • Corrections
    • Contrary to the local angle information that accompanied the May 31 front-page story "Provocative priest Andrew Greeley, a part-time Tucsonan, dies at 85," Greeley did not spend part of his winters, including last winter, in Tucson after his 2008 accident. In addition, Greeley died May 29. Memorial information accompanying a guest column Wednesday on A11 included the wrong date.
    June 13, 2013 - Arizona Daily Star
  • Yasiel Puig Injury: Updates on Dodgers Star's Shoulder
    Contrary to popular belief, Yasiel Puig is not a cyborg.  According to the Los Angeles Dodgers ' official Twitter account, the 22-year-old burgeoning superstar is missing Wednesday night's matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks with an injured shoulder: It's not clear how serious the injury is, but this is the last thing the last-place Dodgers need right now.  After barreling through the ...
    June 13, 2013 - Bleacher Report
  • Corrections
    • Contrary to the local angle information that accompanied the May 31 front-page story "Provocative priest Andrew Greeley, a part-time Tucsonan, dies at 85," Greeley did not spend part of his winters, including last winter, in Tucson after his 2008 accident. In addition, Greeley died May 29. Memorial information accompanying a guest column Wednesday on A11 included the wrong date.
    June 13, 2013 - Arizona Daily Star

  • Where Have Apple's 'Loon-y' Ideas Gone?
    (Credit: dgym, DeviantArt) With Apple wrapping up its developer conference this week, the contrast between the once-great innovator that brought the world into the smartphone and tablet era and current Silicon Valley revolutionary Google couldn't have been more stark. On the one hand, you had Apple fans and critics debating whether
    June 16, 2013 - Forbes
  • Contrast on PS4: Is There Truth in the Shadows?
    You want to know more about Contrast, and I want to shed light on a few topics of my own. Did you know that Contrast, in its initial concept, was set in a cyberpunk virtual world? We thought that related well with the Film Noir and Burlesque eras, too. Have you heard tell of the international slumber party work week before Compulsion found an office? When we started working on the game, the team ...
    June 12, 2013 - PlayStation Blog
  • Titanfall's contrast between agility and agitation
    There is a stark contrast between pilots and titans in Titanfall , the new multiplayer-centric shooter from Respawn Entertainment. As a footsoldier, players are mice - hard to hit and scurrying from one crumbled hovel to the next. The titans stand tall, lumbering death dealers in a constant sense of agitation, ever at the ready and percolating with malevolent intent. It makes for a very ...
    June 12, 2013 - Joystiq