Contrary
Contrary adjective - Engaging in or marked by childish misbehavior.
Usage example: a contrary child who wouldn't behave
Ornery and contrary are semantically related in attitude topic. In some cases you can use "Ornery" instead an adjective "Contrary", when it comes to topics like antagonistic.
Ornery
Ornery adjective - Having or showing a habitually bad temper.
Usage example: an ornery old man who always yells at the neighborhood kids to keep off his lawn
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
- obstinate and contrary
- obstinate and ornery
- stubborn and contrary
- stubborn and ornery
- obstreperous and contrary
- obstreperous and ornery
- defiant and contrary
- defiant and ornery
- difficult and contrary
- difficult and ornery
- disagreeable and contrary
- disagreeable and ornery
- perverse and contrary
- perverse and ornery
Cite this Source
Ornery and Contrary. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 13, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/contrary/ornery
Contrary & Ornery. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/contrary/ornery>.
Ornery or Contrary. 2016. Accessed August 13, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/contrary/ornery.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "contrary" and "ornery" have occurred on timeline