contradicting

USAGE SUMMARY

The word “contradicting” is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to describe something that is in opposition to something else or when you want to express that one thing directly opposes another. For example, "He made an argument that was contradicting his earlier statement."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The opposition leader said the attempt to "micromanage" schools was an example of the government's "wrong priorities" – contradicting assertions by the environment minister, Greg Hunt, that the scheme had bipartisan support.

The Guardian

Adelson denied that the company had business ties to the alleged triad leader – "We were not doing business with Cheung Chi Tai," he told the court – directly contradicting the evidence of his own deputy on the witness stand.

The Guardian

Other lines emerged from the SNP's weekend, including deputy leader Stewart Hosie threatening to oppose a minorityLabour government if Ed Miliband refuses to negotiate with the SNP on his first Queen's speech; and the party finally backing Labour's 50p tax rate, though not without contradicting Alex Salmond.

The Guardian

"It's always about contradicting the thing they've just said and crucially finding the difference of opinion they may have had with someone else they work with.

The Guardian

The minister is causing undue and unnecessary alarm, and yet contradicting himself, when just before Christmas he was content to ship in units of blood to Northern Ireland from other parts of the UK, where there is no longer a ban".

The Guardian

The high-placed Brussels source said that the internal estimate for the time it would take for Scotland to receive new member status would be around five years, contradicting Salmond's claim that Scotland could negotiate its new membership terms from within the EU.

The Guardian

With his wispy hair and kind, boyish eyes contradicting his forehead's filigree wrinkles, all he needs is a ­battered top hat to make him look like a gold-hearted Dickensian goodie, a Pip of late middle age.

The Guardian - Books

Without contradicting what someone else is saying, and without confusing people".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Tsipras said on Thursday that a deal was close, contradicting an IMF statement that it had only just started to discuss a methodology for talks with the aim of slimming down the number of reforms required from double figures to nearer five.

The Guardian

The BBC said the error was a result of a training exercise, contradicting the reporter's own tweet, which said a prankster had got hold of her phone.

The Guardian

Hillary Clinton emailed her staff on an iPad as well as a BlackBerry while secretary of state, seemingly contradicting her explanation that she exclusively used a personal email address on a so-called "homebrew" server so that she could carry a single device, according to documents obtained by the Associated Press.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "contradicting", ensure the context clearly identifies what is being opposed. Strong writing establishes a clear connection between the conflicting elements.

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by clearly specifying what is being contradicted. Vague references can confuse readers and weaken the impact of your statement.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "contradicting" is as a present participle or gerund, often serving as part of a verb phrase. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts. For example, "contradicting assertions".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "contradicting" functions as a versatile verb form used to express opposition or disagreement. It is very common in news and media, as seen in Ludwig's examples from sources like The Guardian and The Economist. Its grammatical status is correct, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, making it appropriate for neutral and formal writing. When using "contradicting", ensure clarity by clearly defining what is being opposed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

disagreeing with

Shifts focus to a direct disagreement rather than an inherent opposition.

opposing

Emphasizes a stance of active resistance or antagonism.

countering

Highlights an attempt to negate or invalidate something.

refuting

Indicates a formal or decisive act of proving something wrong.

belieing

Suggests an indirect contradiction, where appearance differs from reality.

invalidating

Focuses on rendering something without legal or factual base.

clashing with

Implies conflict or incompatibility between two things.

diverging from

Highlights a departure from a common path or opinion.

at odds with

Expresses a state of disagreement or conflict.

inconsistent with

Emphasizes a lack of logical coherence or agreement.

FAQs

How do you use "contradicting" in a sentence?

You can use "contradicting" to show that something goes against or opposes something else. For example, "His actions were "contradicting his words"".

What are some alternatives to using "contradicting"?

Alternatives to "contradicting" include "disagreeing with", "opposing", or "refuting", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "contradicting" or "in contradiction to"?

"Contradicting" is a verb form often used to describe an action, while "in contradiction to" is a prepositional phrase used to describe a state of opposition. Both are correct but used in different grammatical structures.

What's the difference between "contradicting" and "differing from"?

"Contradicting" implies a direct opposition or conflict, while "differing from" simply indicates a distinction or variation without necessarily implying conflict. For example "differing from" is a softer statement.