contrariwise

Contrariwise is an English adverb meaning on the contrary or in a contrary manner, used to express opposition or a counterpoint to a preceding statement. The form is built from the root contrar- with the suffix -wise and is related to the adjective contrarian or opposite. It derives from Middle English and is now chiefly found in archaic, literary, or humorous contexts.

In usage, contrariwise tends to appear in older or stylistically playful prose rather than in contemporary everyday speech. It is frequently associated with nineteenth-century fiction, poetry, and the works of writers who employed archaic diction, such as Lewis Carroll. In modern reference works it is described as archaic or poetical, and speakers are more likely to substitute on the contrary or in the opposite way for clarity.

Although rare today, the word is still encountered in quotation contexts to evoke an antique or whimsical tone. It remains a fixed entry in dictionaries as a synonym for “on the contrary,” even though most modern writers would avoid it for plain clarity. For general use, editors typically favor more contemporary phrasing, while contrariwise endures as a footnote of historical and stylistic interest in English.