contrary to all predictions

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "contrary to all predictions" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an outcome or event was unexpected and did not align with what was anticipated. Example: "Contrary to all predictions, the small startup became a major player in the tech industry within just a few years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

But contrary to all predictions, Kirchner managed to steer the country to an astounding economic recovery.

The Guardian

Contrary to all predictions (including mine), the Constitutional Court has spent the last several months striking down many of the most worrisome laws passed by the Fidesz government.

The New York Times

Our story begins on May 8th, when the Tories, contrary to all predictions and polls, awoke to discover that they had won an outright majority in the general election.

The New Yorker

Contrary to all predictions, it does not rain.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"This is an exciting and wonderful thing because of the significance of Nauvoo in the history of the church and our people," Mr. Hinckley said at a news conference, "and the fact that, contrary to all the predictions that were made when we were driven out of here, we have come back with strength and membership, capacity to do that which we believe deserved to be done here".

The New York Times

Contrary to all European fears and dire predictions, Vladimir Putin was induced to put the best face on the inevitability of a U.S. missile defense against rogue nations and terrorists.

The New York Times

Contrary to the predictions from all three interpretations, we find no significant correlation between the two perceptual variables when the influence of pitch itself is removed, despite the fact that VPEL and PVP each increased systematically with increasing visual field pitch.

Vision Research

Most importantly, the lack of a requirement for RuvC implies that endonucleolytic resolution of Holliday junctions is not necessary for heteroduplex-patch formation, contrary to predictions of all of the major previous models.

Plosone

Despite all the harsh measures, and contrary to the predictions of Western analysts, street protests have continued.

Forbes

Contrary to our prediction, all results were non-significant (e.g., Fig. 4A PearsonPearson's correlation between inactive period deep sleep and training trial path length).

Plosone

Interestingly, and contrary to our predictions, fish performed at the same level across all versions of the task.

Animal Behaviour

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "contrary to all predictions" to introduce surprising or unexpected outcomes, adding emphasis to the divergence from what was anticipated.

Common error

Avoid using "contrary to all predictions" when only a few predictions were made. Ensure that a broad consensus or a significant number of predictions existed to warrant the 'all' qualifier.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "contrary to all predictions" functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces a statement or observation that opposes what was previously anticipated or forecast. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

41%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "contrary to all predictions" is a grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to introduce unexpected outcomes or results that diverge from established forecasts. Ludwig AI confirms this, and shows that while the phrase is relatively rare, it appears in a range of sources, from news and media to scientific articles. When using this phrase, ensure that there was a genuine expectation or formal forecast that was not met. Alternatives such as "against all expectations" or "defying all forecasts" offer similar meanings with slight variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

against all expectations

Replaces "predictions" with "expectations", focusing on anticipated outcomes rather than formal forecasts.

defying all forecasts

Uses "defying" to emphasize a challenge to established forecasts, changing the initial preposition.

in opposition to all projections

Employs "in opposition" to suggest a direct contradiction to anticipated projections.

belied by all anticipations

Uses "belied" to highlight how something proves anticipations to be false or misleading.

in contrast to all estimates

Substitutes "predictions" with "estimates", suitable for scenarios involving numerical approximations.

running counter to all foreseen outcomes

Emphasizes that the result goes against what was previously foreseen or anticipated.

at odds with every anticipation

Highlights a conflict or disagreement with what was generally anticipated.

despite all prognostications

Emphasizes that something happens in spite of what has been predicted based on signs or symptoms.

notwithstanding all forecasts

Expresses that something is true despite all existing forecasts indicating otherwise.

disregarding all premonitions

Indicates a lack of attention to forewarnings or feelings about future events.

FAQs

How can I use "contrary to all predictions" in a sentence?

You can use "contrary to all predictions" to introduce a situation that unfolded unexpectedly. For example, "Contrary to all predictions, the company's stock price soared after the announcement".

What phrases are similar to "contrary to all predictions"?

Alternatives include "against all expectations", "defying all forecasts", or "in opposition to all projections", which all suggest an unexpected outcome.

Is it better to say "contrary to all predictions" or "against all predictions"?

Both "contrary to all predictions" and "against all predictions" are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning. The choice often depends on stylistic preference, though "contrary to" might suggest a more formal tone.

What's the difference between "contrary to expectations" and "contrary to all predictions"?

"Contrary to expectations" implies a general sense of anticipation, while "contrary to all predictions" specifically refers to formal or informed forecasts. The latter carries a stronger emphasis on established projections being overturned.