contradict
Definitions
To say the opposite of what someone has said; to deny
反驳；否定
To be inconsistent with; to conflict with
与…矛盾，与…相抵触
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedcontra- (against) + dict (say) = 'to say against.' If you contradict a person, your words run against theirs. If two facts contradict each other, each one 'says against' the other — they can't both be true.
Root dic still carries 82 more wordsCommon Collocations
- 1.contradict oneself自相矛盾
- 2.directly contradict直接矛盾
Example Sentences
- 1.
Don't contradict your teacher in front of the whole class.
- 2.
His latest statement directly contradicts what he said last week.
- 3.
The witness's account contradicted the official report.
Easily Confused
contradict vs deny — To deny is simply to say something is not true ('I deny the charge'). To contradict is to assert the opposite, usually against another statement — it needs something to push against. You contradict a person or a claim; you deny an accusation or a fact.