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Instead vs Contrary - What's the difference?

instead | contrary |

As adverbs the difference between instead and contrary

is that instead is in the place of something (usually mentioned earlier); as a substitute or alternative while contrary is contrarily.

As an adjective contrary is

opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.

As a noun contrary is

the opposite.

As a verb contrary is

to oppose; to frustrate.

instead

English

Alternative forms

* enstead

Adverb

(-)
  • In the place of something (usually mentioned earlier); as a substitute or alternative.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=5 citation , passage=‘It's rather like a beautiful Inverness cloak one has inherited. Much too good to hide away, so one wears it instead of an overcoat and pretends it's an amusing new fashion.’}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-28, author=(Joris Luyendijk)
  • , volume=189, issue=3, page=21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Our banks are out of control , passage=Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […].  Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. […]  But the scandals kept coming, […]. A broad section of the political class now recognises the need for change but remains unable to see the necessity of a fundamental overhaul. Instead it offers fixes and patches.}}

    Synonyms

    * in lieu

    Derived terms

    * instead of

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * * *

    contrary

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.
  • contrary winds
  • * Bible, Leviticus xxvi. 21
  • And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me
  • * Shakespeare
  • We have lost our labour; they are gone a contrary way.
  • Opposed; contradictory; inconsistent.
  • * Whewell
  • The doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred Scripture.
  • Given to opposition; perverse; wayward.
  • a contrary''' disposition; a '''contrary child

    Derived terms

    * contrarian * contrarily * contrariwise * contrary to

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • Contrarily
  • Noun

    (contraries)
  • The opposite.
  • * Shakespeare
  • No contraries hold more antipathy / Than I and such a knave.
  • One of a pair of propositions that cannot both be simultaneously true.
  • * I. Watts
  • If two universals differ in quality, they are contraries ; as, every vine is a tree; no vine is a tree. These can never be both true together; but they may be both false.

    Synonyms

    * witherward

    Derived terms

    * on the contrary * to the contrary

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • (obsolete) To oppose; to frustrate.
  • *Bishop Latimer
  • *:I was advised not to contrary the king.
  • *, I.47:
  • *:The Athenians having left the enemie in their owne land, for to pass into Sicilie , had very ill successe, and were much contraried by fortune.
  • (obsolete) To impugn.
  • (obsolete) To contradict (someone or something).
  • *:
  • *:thus wilfully sir Palomydes dyd bataille with yow / & as for hym sir I was not gretely aferd but I dred fore la?celot that knew yow not / Madame said Palomydes ye maye saye what so ye wyll / I maye not contrary yow but by my knyghthode I knewe not sir Tristram
  • *, II.12:
  • *:I finde them everie one in his turne to have reason, although they contrary one another.
  • (obsolete) To do the opposite of (someone'' or ''something ).
  • (obsolete) To act inconsistently or perversely; to act in opposition to .
  • (obsolete) To argue; to debate; to uphold an opposite opinion.
  • (obsolete) To be self-contradictory; to become reversed.
  • References

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