contrary response

[/ˈkɒntrəri rɪˈspɒns/]
nounpl: contrary responses
resposta contrária
1. A response that contradicts, opposes, or goes against what was expected, asked, or previously stated
When asked if he agreed with the proposal, his contrary response was that he completely disagreed.
Quando perguntado se concordava com a proposta, sua resposta contrária foi que discordava completamente.
2. An answer that demonstrates disagreement or resistance to a statement or request
Her contrary response to the criticism showed she was unwilling to accept feedback.
Sua resposta contrária à crítica mostrou que ela era relutante em aceitar comentários.
In both American and Brazilian contexts, a 'contrary response' is often associated with assertiveness and honesty. In Brazilian culture, direct contrary responses may be softened with polite language to maintain social harmony, while in American business contexts, contrary responses are often valued as critical thinking.
NYC Slang
hard no / pushback
Synonyms / Sinônimos
opposing responsecontradictory responsedissenting responseobjectionrebuttal
Antonyms / Antônimos
affirmative responseagreeing responseconfirmatory responseacceptance

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
resposta contrária
Most common usage in standard Portuguese
Rio de Janeiro
resposta de cabeça
Colloquial variant meaning a negative/contradictory answer
São Paulo
resposta contrária
Formal usage predominates in business contexts
Portugal
resposta contrária
Same usage as in Brazil, with slight formal preference

Related Words

contraryresponseoppositiondisagreementcontradictionobjection

Related Idioms & Phrases

go against the grain
swim against the tide
take issue with
beg to differ
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