Meaning & use
dichotomy
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Meanings
nouncountableformal
A sharp split between two things that are seen as opposites or that cannot both be true.
Grammar: Usually followed by between: a dichotomy between work and play.
Patterns
- a dichotomy between X and Y
There is a clear dichotomy between public and private life.
The film shows the dichotomy of good and evil.
Critics noticed a dichotomy between what the minister said and what he did.
nouncountable or uncountabletechnical
The act of dividing something into two parts that do not overlap.
Grammar: Used in logic, biology and mathematics for a two-way division.
Patterns
- the dichotomy of something
The dichotomy of the plant's stem produced two equal branches.
Logicians use dichotomy to classify arguments.
The study set up a dichotomy of smokers and non-smokers.
Word forms
| plural | dichotomies |
|---|
Common combinations
- false dichotomy
- Choosing between art and science is a false dichotomy.
- a stark dichotomy
- The film draws a stark dichotomy between rich and poor.
- dichotomy between
- The dichotomy between city and country is shrinking.
- the dichotomy of
- The novel explores the dichotomy of love and duty.
- create a dichotomy
- Labels can create a dichotomy that is not real.
Synonyms and how they differ
- contrast
- Contrast just points out differences, while dichotomy implies two categories that exclude each other.
- split
- Split is informal and may describe a quarrel, while dichotomy is an abstract division of ideas.
- polarity
- Polarity suggests two opposite ends of a scale, with the possibility of positions in between.
- divide
- Divide is a general word for a gap between groups, and is less formal than dichotomy.
Opposites
Word family
- dichotomous adjective
- divided into two parts or contrasting categories
- dichotomize verb
- to divide into two opposed groups
- dichotomously adverb
- in a way that divides into two
- trichotomy noun
- a division into three parts
Commonly confused: dichotomy or dilemma? dichotomy or paradox?
dichotomy vs dilemma
A dilemma is a difficult choice between two options, while a dichotomy is a division between two opposites.
dichotomy vs paradox
A paradox is a statement that seems contradictory yet may be true, which is different from a two-way division.
Practice
The writer argued that the choice between science and art is a false ___ because many people enjoy both.
Choose one answer.
A false dichotomy is a division into two options that is not real. A dilemma is a hard choice and a paradox is a seeming contradiction.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dichotomy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.