contradict
- To assert the opposite of what someone else has said, or to be in conflict with something.
In a sentence
- The witness's testimony directly contradicted what the defendant had told police.
- New research findings sometimes contradict long-held scientific assumptions.
Usage note. 'Contradict' is slightly more formal than 'disagree with' and implies a direct, point-by-point opposition rather than a general difference of opinion.
Where it comes from
English contradict · entered English late 16th c.
From Latin 'contradicere', meaning 'to speak against', composed of 'contra-' (against) + 'dicere' (to speak). The word was borrowed into English in the late 16th century, directly reflecting its Latin structure and meaning.