contrarian
Say it: kun-TRAIR-ee-un /kənˈtrɛərɪən/ · noun
What “contrarian” means
Someone who deliberately takes the opposite view to most people.
More precisely: A person who deliberately takes the opposite view to most people.
When to use it
For someone who habitually challenges the majority view, sometimes admiring their independence and sometimes finding them deliberately difficult.
Memory trick
Contrary means opposite: a contrarian chooses the opposite side from the crowd.
Similar words
dissenter, nonconformist, devil's advocate
Quick check
Everyone praises the new park, so one resident argues against it mainly because he dislikes agreeing with the majority. He's…
a contrarian or a sceptic?
Show the answer
a contrarian
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