contrarian

[kuhn-trair-ee-uhn] / kənˈtrɛər i ən /

NOUN

one who takes an opposing view

Synonyms

STRONG

antagonist

WEAK

adversary debater opponent

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Rex Reed, the longtime movie critic and celebrity interviewer known for his contrarian attitude and eloquent, vicious jabs of his pen, died Tuesday.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

They said their contrarian sentiment indicator has triggered a “sell” signal for the first time since November 2021.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

This “extreme pessimism” is the contrarian tailwind the market has been waiting for.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

He made a contrarian bull market call in January 2023 and nailed the stock bottom in April 2025.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

Given that there is some rough economic estimate of a stock’s value, regression to the mean can sometimes be used to justify a kind of contrarian strategy.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos