appears contrary to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "appears contrary to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that something seems to be in opposition or disagreement with another statement or idea. Example: "The findings of the study appear contrary to the established theories in the field."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

It appears contrary to their objective in Katine of empowering people to speak up, rather than be spoken for," he writes.

The Guardian

Jean Daniel, editor of the newsmagazine Le Nouvel Observateur, told Le Monde: "The crushing character of the consecration appears contrary to the ideas for which Camus is famous".

The New York Times

And the defense memorandum is quick to quote the judge's words in another case when he criticized the gain analysis for playing such a significant role that appears contrary to "elementary notions of justice or even common sense".

The New York Times

Because the town's position appears contrary to state law -- indeed, the Court of Appeals ruled in 1982 that Greenburgh's parks must be paid for townwide -- and because Greenburgh's incorporated villages have a majority of Greenburgh's population, taxpayers in unincorporated Greenburgh like myself have no recourse except through the courts.

The New York Times

The unplanned project design appears contrary to the legal approach.

Computer Law & Security Review

Taking organs from healthy people does seem to harm them, so living donor transplantation appears contrary to traditional medical ethics.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

Fair and balanced is how they wish to appear, contrary to realities.

The New York Times - Books

But if tenants instantly buy those houses and walk off with a fat capital gain, what's the point Ministers' concerns centre on a number of practices, which, though not illegal, appear contrary to the spirit of the legislation.

The Economist

"The overall purpose of the ad is to make it appear, contrary to scientific evidence, that the cardiovascular dangers of Celebrex are not greater than those of any of the other NSAID painkillers," the letter said, referring to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

The New York Times

Graceful strings of tsavorite garnets are held with a flowing ribbon of small diamonds and finished with a triangle of tapered round stones at the bottom that appear, contrary to everything you might surmise about diamonds, to have been threaded rather than mounted.For those who want bling, there are enough huge diamonds, black and white, to satisfy the greediest arriviste.

The Economist

Without considerable care, however, the Boltzmannian picture can still appear contrary to the objections from recurrence and reversibility interpreted in a probabilistic manner.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "appears contrary to", ensure that you provide context or evidence to support the perceived contradiction. This adds credibility to your statement and allows the reader to understand the basis of your assessment.

Common error

Avoid assuming that because something "appears contrary to" something else, there is a direct causal relationship. "Appearing contrary" simply indicates a perceived opposition or contradiction that may require further investigation to understand the underlying reasons.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "appears contrary to" functions as an evaluative expression. It introduces an observation or assessment where something seems to be in opposition or contradiction to another thing. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's useful for indicating perceived inconsistencies without making definitive claims.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Encyclopedias

7%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "appears contrary to" is a useful tool for expressing perceived contradictions or inconsistencies. Ludwig AI states that it's suitable for indicating something that seems to oppose another thing, while avoiding definitive claims. Found frequently in scientific and news contexts, it allows for nuanced evaluation and critical assessment. To enhance clarity, always provide context or evidence when using this phrase, and avoid jumping to conclusions about causation. Remember the alternatives "seems inconsistent with" and "appears at odds with" when you want to convey a similar meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

seems inconsistent with

Replaces "appears" with "seems" and "contrary to" with "inconsistent with", suggesting a lack of alignment or logical coherence.

appears at odds with

Replaces "contrary to" with "at odds with", emphasizing conflict or disagreement.

seems to contradict

Uses "contradict" to highlight a direct opposition or logical inconsistency. Replacing both keywords.

appears to conflict with

Emphasizes clashing or incompatibility between two things. Replacing both keywords.

appears to diverge from

Suggests a deviation from an expected path or standard. Replacing both keywords.

seems to defy

Implies a challenge or resistance to something, suggesting a stronger level of opposition.

appears to run counter to

Introduces "run" suggesting a movement in the opposite direction. Only changing "contrary to".

is seemingly opposed to

Uses "seemingly opposed to" to emphasize an apparent conflict or contradiction.

is apparently inconsistent with

Uses "apparently inconsistent with" suggesting a perceived incoherence.

is ostensibly in opposition to

Offers a more formal and emphatic way to express conflict or contradiction.

FAQs

How can I use "appears contrary to" in a sentence?

Use "appears contrary to" to indicate that something seems to oppose or contradict something else. For example, "The new evidence "appears contrary to" the established theory."

What is a good alternative to "appears contrary to"?

Alternatives include "seems inconsistent with", "appears at odds with", or "seems to contradict", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to use "appears contrary to" or "is contrary to"?

"Appears contrary to" indicates a perceived contradiction, while "is contrary to" asserts a definite contradiction. Use "appears contrary to" when you want to express an observation without making a definitive claim. When you are certain, use is contrary to.

What does it mean when something "appears contrary to" expectations?

It suggests that an observation or result is not what was anticipated or predicted based on prior knowledge or assumptions. This often prompts further investigation or reevaluation of the initial expectations.