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Definition of contradict verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

contradict

verb
 
/ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkt/
 
/ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkt/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they contradict
 
/ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkt/
 
/ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkt/
he / she / it contradicts
 
/ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkts/
 
/ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkts/
past simple contradicted
 
/ˌkɒntrəˈdɪktɪd/
 
/ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪktɪd/
past participle contradicted
 
/ˌkɒntrəˈdɪktɪd/
 
/ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪktɪd/
-ing form contradicting
 
/ˌkɒntrəˈdɪktɪŋ/
 
/ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪktɪŋ/
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  1. to say that something that somebody else has said is wrong, and that the opposite is true
    • contradict something All evening her husband contradicted everything she said.
    • contradict somebody/yourself You've just contradicted yourself (= said the opposite of what you said before).
    • contradict (somebody) + speech ‘No, it’s not,’ she contradicted (him).
    Topics Opinion and argumentc1
  2. contradict something | contradict each other (of statements or pieces of evidence) to be so different from each other that one of them must be wrong
    • The two stories contradict each other.
    • This version of events was contradicted by eye-witness reports.
    Topics Opinion and argumentc1
    Language Bank evidenceevidenceGiving proof
      • There is clear evidence that TV advertising influences what children buy.
      • It is clear from numerous studies that TV advertising influences what children buy.
      • Recent research demonstrates that TV advertising influences children’s spending habits.
      • Many parents think that TV advertising influences their children. This view is supported by the findings of a recent study, which show a clear link between television advertisements and children’s spending habits.
      • The findings also reveal that most children are unaware of the persuasive purpose of advertising.
      • There is little evidence that children understand the persuasive intent of advertising.
      • The results contradict claims that advertising is unrelated to children’s spending habits.
      • Manufacturers argue that it is difficult to prove that advertising alone influences what children buy.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • blatantly
    • clearly
    • completely
    verb + contradict
    • appear to
    • seem to
    See full entry
  3. Word Originlate 16th cent.: from Latin contradict- ‘spoken against’, from the verb contradicere, originally contra dicere ‘speak against’.
See contradict in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee contradict in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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noun
 
 
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