1
as in rebellion
refusal to obey
cursed the contrariness of her beloved mutt when it refused to come back inside the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opposition
the quality or state of being as different as possible
a contrariness between his professed altruism and his blatant selfishness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contrariness
Noun
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What was expected to be a quick vote turned into an hourslong saga as some House Republicans launched a rebellion over an issue with an unrelated farm bill.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026 -
The leader of the rebellion chatted with young kids carrying Princess Leia dolls and wearing Boba Fett masks.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Starmer — who is facing relentless domestic criticism over a flailing economy and his appointment of the disgraced Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, while grappling with a surging far-right opposition — will be praying for a smooth visit.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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Milei also modified an open-records law to limit the scope of publicly available information and, in 2024, shut down Argentina's state news agency Telam, accusing it of being a propaganda mouthpiece for the left-leaning populist opposition.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There was elegant defiance this week as Pat Riley in an opening statement answered the question before it could be asked at his annual season-ending media session.—
Greg Cote
April 28,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Forced into an uneasy alliance with a sharp-witted poacher living on the margins of society (Kellyman), the two women fight back, turning their powerlessness into strength through violence, wit, and defiance.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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Though the Durutti Column had been a disaster, Wilson was fascinated by the guitarist, who admired punk’s willfulness even though his own musical taste tended toward jazz, blues, and the classical tradition.—
Brad Shoup,
Pitchfork,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The source of the solar activity is a negative polarity coronal hole high-speed stream -- a fast-moving stream of solar wind that escaped the sun's atmosphere -- according to NOAA.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Practically a textbook polarity zone.—
Jay Woods,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The pseudo-goth hair and costume choices speak to an inner rebelliousness that isn’t so much unleashed as forced loose by a system that values the appearance of a mythical impartiality over her humanity, leaving her with little recourse but to step outside the confines of the law.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2026
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The natural obstinacy and rebelliousness of Israa’s teenage years are hyperaccelerated by culture clashes with both her family and the other kids around her.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Mostly the defensive tackles are Sieler, the 30-year old veteran who is coming off a disappointing season, Phillips, Grant, the disappointing 2025 first-round pick, and a collection of lower-round picks or non-difference makers, and that’s no disrespect to Zeek Biggers or Matthew Butler.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
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No disrespect to the San Diego High School baseball team that plays only several blocks from Petco Park, but if Stammen had enlisted several Cavers fielders to fill out the defense behind Miller, the results may have been very close to the same.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Contrariness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrariness. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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