contravene
4 synonyms and 2 antonyms for contravene, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To break a rule, law or order that you are supposed to follow.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb
To break a rule, law or order that you are supposed to follow.
“It was a construction in wood, with manifold “features” suggestive of the villa, the bungalow, the chateau, the palace; it united all tastes and contravened all conventions.”
Etymology
Came from Middle French contravenir (modern French contrevenir), from Latin contraveniō.
Full origin of contravene →