contradict
/ˌkɑn.tɹəˈdɪkt/verb
contradict is spelled C-O-N-T-R-A-D-I-C-T: 10 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 2.2 times per million words in written English, the 18,297th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, contradict means “To deny the truth or validity of (a statement or statements)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in contradict?
| Letters | 10: C-O-N-T-R-A-D-I-C-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.2 times per million words; the 18,297th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is contradict?
Contradict appears 2.2 times per million words in written English, the 18,297th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce contradict?
- UK /ˌkɒn.tɹəˈdɪkt/
- US /ˌkɑn.tɹəˈdɪkt/
- Canada /ˌkɒn.tɹəˈdɪkt/
Contradict has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-contradict.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with contradict?
One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as contradict from its last stressed vowel (/ɪkt/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of contradict
- contradicts present, singular, he/she/it
- contradicting participle, present
- contradicted participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does contradict mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To deny the truth or validity of (a statement or statements).
His testimony contradicts hers.
- 2
To oppose (a person) by denying the truth or pertinence of a given statement.
Everything he says contradicts me.
- 3
To be contrary to (something).
- 4
To say things that conflict with each other.
The prime minister contradicted herself during her speech.
- 5
obsoleteTo give an order contrary to (another order or wish), oppose (something).
- 6
obsoleteTo give an order contrary to one given by (another person), oppose or resist (someone).
- 7
obsoleteTo speak against; to forbid.
[…] magic hath been publicly professed in former times, in Salamanca, Cracovia, and other places, though after censured by several universities, and now generally contradicted, though practised by some still […].
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Contradict in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | contredire |
| German | widersprechen |
| Portuguese | contradizer, desdizer |
| Spanish | contradecir , contrariar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does contradict come from?
Derived from Latin contrādictus (“contradicted”), the past participle of contrādīcō (“speak against”) (originally two words).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).