looks contrary from

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "looks contrary from" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression would typically be "looks contrary to." Example: "His actions look contrary to his stated beliefs."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

One of the five pictures looks contrary from the others.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It costs me a lot, because I'm a shy person, even if I look the contrary.

The New York Times

To the contrary, anyone interested in a future that looks quite different from the present, and most Americans are leaning in precisely that direction, needs to remember but one mantra.

Huffington Post

Europe, on the contrary, looks at general guidelines to be imposed across the board.

The Guardian - Opinion

On the contrary, "looking back at my life from the age of 11 on..

The New York Times - Books

On the contrary, from the president to the New York mayor, senior officials urged people to go about their lives as usual, by shopping or going to the movies or otherwise looking out for themselves.

The New York Times

The second they eliminated by looking at species from groups that (contrary to the trend they were attempting to explain) were as diverse in temperate climes as in the tropics.

The Economist

Federer, despite his protestations to the contrary, increasingly looks beatable.

The Guardian - Sport

To the contrary, he looks unusually chipper on this July afternoon in Mayfair.

The New York Times

On the contrary, it looks like showing a significant increase.

BBC

He has not gone faster than 9.82 since late in 2009 and contrary to how it may look from the sidelines, it is not just that he has not been trying.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to express that something appears contradictory, use the correct and widely accepted phrase "looks contrary to" to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy.

Common error

Avoid substituting "to" with "from" after "contrary" when describing appearances. The correct preposition to use is "to", as in "looks contrary to expectations".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "looks contrary from" attempts to describe an apparent contradiction or opposition. However, it uses an incorrect preposition. Ludwig AI indicates that the correct form is "looks contrary to."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "looks contrary from" is considered grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "looks contrary to". Ludwig AI highlights this discrepancy. While the intention is to express an apparent contradiction, using the wrong preposition can lead to confusion. It's best to use alternatives like "appears contrary to" or "seems inconsistent with" to ensure clarity. The phrase is rare in usage, appearing in varied contexts such as news, science and wiki articles.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

appears contrary to

Replaces "looks" with "appears", suggesting a similar but slightly more formal observation.

seems contrary to

Uses "seems" instead of "looks", indicating a perceived contradiction.

looks in opposition to

Replaces "contrary" with "in opposition", emphasizing direct conflict.

appears inconsistent with

Focuses on the lack of consistency rather than direct opposition.

seems at odds with

Indicates a state of disagreement or conflict.

presents a conflicting image to

Highlights the presentation of an image that clashes with something else.

gives the impression of opposing

Emphasizes the impression created by the conflicting appearance.

suggests a contradiction to

Points out the suggestion of a contradictory nature.

conveys a sense of opposition to

Focuses on the conveyance of a feeling of being against something.

bears a conflicting resemblance to

Highlights a resemblance that introduces conflict.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the word "contrary" in a sentence?

The word "contrary" can be used in various contexts. To indicate something that opposes or contradicts something else, use "contrary to", as in "contrary to expectations". It can also introduce an opposite idea, as in "on the contrary".

What's the difference between "looks contrary to" and "is contrary to"?

"Looks contrary to" implies an appearance of contradiction, while "is contrary to" asserts a definitive contradiction. For example, "his actions look contrary to his words" suggests a perceived inconsistency, whereas "his actions are contrary to his words" states a real conflict.

What can I say instead of "looks contrary to"?

You can use alternatives like "appears contrary to", "seems contrary to", or "appears inconsistent with" depending on the context.

Is it always incorrect to use "looks contrary from"?

In standard English, "looks contrary from" is generally considered incorrect. The correct preposition is "to". Using "from" may confuse readers as it's not the idiomatic way to express contradiction in appearance.