Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who opposes or rejects popular opinion or current trends: A contrarian deliberately takes a position that is opposite to the prevailing view, especially in matters of investment, thought, or behavior.
   • An investor who acts against market trends: In finance, a contrarian is specifically an investor who buys assets when most others are selling (and vice versa), believing the crowd is often wrong.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • He is a natural contrarian who always questions the mainstream narrative.
  • The successful contrarian investor bought stocks when the market was in panic.
  • As a political contrarian, she frequently challenges her own party's policies.

Advanced Usage

• "to take a contrarian view/position": to adopt an opinion or stance that is deliberately opposite to the majority.
  • The analyst took a contrarian view, predicting the failing company's recovery.
• "contrarian strategy": an approach, especially in investing, based on going against prevailing market sentiment.
  • His contrarian strategy involved investing in undervalued sectors everyone else was avoiding.

Variants and Related Words

• Contrarianism (n): The practice or philosophy of being a contrarian; opposition to current trends or majority opinion.
  • His investment philosophy is rooted in contrarianism.
• Contrarian (adj): Describing a person or action that opposes majority opinion. (Note: This is less common than the noun form but used attributively).
  • She offered a contrarian perspective on the issue.

Synonyms

• Dissenter: A person who disagrees or dissents, especially from an established opinion.
• Nonconformist: A person whose behavior or views do not conform to prevailing ideas or practices.
• Iconoclast: A person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions.

Antonyms

• Conformist: A person who conforms to accepted behavior or established practices.
• Follower: A person who follows the opinions, ideas, or actions of another.
• Trend-follower: Someone who adopts popular trends, especially in investing.

Related Phrases

• "Go against the grain": To act or think in a way that is contrary to what is usual or expected. (This idiom captures the spirit of a contrarian).
  • True innovators often have to go against the grain.
• "Bet against the crowd": To take a position opposite to popular sentiment, a common contrarian action in finance.
  • His fortune was made by his willingness to bet against the crowd.

Noun

1. an investor who deliberately decides to go against the prevailing wisdom of other investors