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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Many standard policies carve out exceptions for disruptions due to war, undeclared war, civil disorder, rebellion, military activity or government intervention, experts said.—
Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2026
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Storytelling will never not be a form of rebellion.—
Noun
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Nominees for foundation’s the Noble Prize include Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López, who was sentenced to 14 years in jail in 2014 for his democracy campaign, but managed to escape the country disguised as an electrician in 2020 while under house arrest.—
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But the measure stalled in the state Senate, facing opposition from real estate agents and the California Apartment Association.—
Noun
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Overnight, a show of defiance inside Venezuela from Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello Rondón, who posted a video to social media making his allegiances clear.—
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During her own allocution moments later, Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, likewise struck a note of defiance and introduced herself as the First Lady of Venezuela, her face appearing bruised and bandaged.—
Noun
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The orphan’s predicament is as much a matter of willfulness as of survival—inseparable, as in the works of Charles Dickens, from a dream of being somehow rescued by the idea of an adult world.—
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While this change reduces the explicit admission of willfulness, a narrative is still required.—
Noun
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The polarity change can be detected in iron-rich minerals.—
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Others concern the conventions of painting itself (such as the formal polarities flatness/perspective and abstraction/figuration) or the genres of the medium.—
Noun
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At times, Carol’s admirable rebelliousness seems to come at the cost of self-flagellating destruction, a badge of honor to be miserable.—
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The performance goes from fiery to ineffectual as DiCaprio’s character, Bob, loses his youthful rebelliousness in a haze of pot and resignation.—
Noun
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Chinese diplomatic backlash was instantaneous, with one Chinese official based in Tokyo threatening to cut off her head for the disrespect of her comments.—
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Bro, don’t marry Svetlana (no disrespect to Svetlana).—
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“Contrariness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contrariness. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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