a contrary outcome

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a contrary outcome" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing results or conclusions that differ from what was expected or predicted. Example: "The experiment was designed to test the hypothesis, but it resulted in a contrary outcome that surprised the researchers."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

That said, a contrary outcome in Hain Celestial, one that embraced the Eastern District of New York court's rejection of implied preemption, would have lent significant credence to the concept of "parallel enforcement" that has emerged in state-law consumer-fraud litigation.

Forbes

Results suggested that the AAA haplotype showed a significantly decreased risk of breast cancer, whereas GAG haplotype had a contrary outcome (OR = 0.689, 95% CI 0.539-0.881; OR = 1.511, 95% CI 1.125-2.031).

BMC Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

How can you focus on two contrary outcomes at once?

Forbes

On the contrary, outcomes of many studies and clinical reports confirm the dependency of chemoregulation of CBF on vascular endothelial integrity [ 13].

BioMed Research International

The inclusion of patients in the earlier stage of treatment, when defaulting and morbidity is higher, would be expected to worsen study outcomes [ 13]; to the contrary, outcomes were as good or better in the intervention group.

BMC Health Services Research

The aim is to establish how well the hypotheses being examined comport with and help explain common patterns in the data, what data seem to constitute exceptions or contrary outcomes to the hypothesized causal principles, and what reasons for such exceptions might be proposed.

Critical Reviews in Toxicology

On the other hand, the Australian Association for Humane Research AAHRR) presented a contrary perspective based on the outcomes of a Newspoll survey they commissioned.

Life Sciences, Society and Policy

Elsewhere, a contrary trend is at work.

The Economist

A contrary course continued to be urged.

The New Yorker

May I venture a contrary suggestion?

The New Yorker

Critics pose a contrary set of arguments.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a contrary outcome", ensure the context clearly establishes what the expected or intended outcome was. This helps emphasize the unexpected nature of the result.

Common error

Avoid using "a contrary outcome" when simply describing a different outcome without an established expectation. The phrase implies a direct contradiction to a prior belief or prediction.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a contrary outcome" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes a result or consequence that is opposite to what was expected or predicted. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and usable in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a contrary outcome" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a result that opposes expectations. As Ludwig AI has confirmed, the phrase is correct and usable. While relatively rare in occurrence, as demonstrated by the limited number of examples, it finds its primary use in scientific and news-related contexts. When employing this phrase, ensure that the context clearly establishes the prior expectation to emphasize the unexpected nature of the result. Alternatives such as "an opposite result" or "an unexpected consequence" may be considered depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an opposite result

Replaces 'contrary' with 'opposite' to emphasize direct opposition.

a reverse outcome

Uses 'reverse' as a direct synonym for 'contrary'.

an unexpected consequence

Focuses on the surprise element of the result.

an opposing effect

Uses 'opposing' to emphasize direct opposition of the effect.

an inverse effect

Highlights the reversal of the anticipated effect.

a conflicting result

Emphasizes the clash with prior expectations or other findings.

a dissimilar effect

Uses dissimilar to denote difference and deviation.

an alternate conclusion

Highlights that a different conclusion was reached.

a paradoxical result

Suggests the outcome is self-contradictory or counterintuitive.

a different result

A more general way of stating that the outcome was not as expected.

FAQs

How can I use "a contrary outcome" in a sentence?

"A contrary outcome" is typically used to describe a result that is the opposite of what was predicted or expected. For example: "The experiment was designed to prove the hypothesis, but it resulted in "a contrary outcome"."

What phrases are similar to "a contrary outcome"?

Similar phrases include "an opposite result", "an unexpected consequence", or "a conflicting result". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it always negative to have "a contrary outcome"?

Not necessarily. While "a contrary outcome" often implies a deviation from a desired result, it can also lead to new discoveries or insights. The negativity depends on the specific context and whether the initial expectations were beneficial or detrimental.

What's the difference between "a contrary outcome" and "an unexpected outcome"?

"An unexpected outcome" is a broader term that simply means the result was not anticipated. "A contrary outcome" specifically means the result was the opposite of what was expected, implying a direct contradiction.