Meaning & use
oxymoron
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Meanings
nouncountable
A phrase that puts together two words with opposite meanings, to create a striking or ironic effect.
Grammar: Refers to the phrase itself: "bittersweet" is an oxymoron.
Patterns
- an oxymoron like something
- be an oxymoron
"Deafening silence" is a classic oxymoron.
Some people think "jumbo shrimp" is an oxymoron.
The poet used the oxymoron "living death" to describe grief.
nouncountableinformal
Anything that seems self-contradictory, such as an idea that combines things that do not belong together.
Grammar: Informal usage: "military intelligence" is called an oxymoron by some.
Patterns
- be a bit of an oxymoron
Calling a traffic jam "rush hour" is a bit of an oxymoron.
To him, a quiet gym was an oxymoron.
Free parking in the city center seems like an oxymoron.
Word forms
| plural | oxymorons |
|---|---|
| plural | oxymora |
Common combinations
- classic oxymoron
- "Old news" is a classic oxymoron.
- a bit of an oxymoron
- A silent alarm is a bit of an oxymoron.
- seeming oxymoron
- It's a seeming oxymoron, but the paradox makes sense.
- use an oxymoron
- Writers use an oxymoron to surprise readers.
- become an oxymoron
- Honest politician has become an oxymoron for some.
Synonyms and how they differ
- paradox
- A paradox is a statement that seems contradictory but may be true, while an oxymoron is a short pairing of opposite words.
- contradiction
- A contradiction is a real inconsistency, whereas an oxymoron is usually intentional.
- irony
- Irony is a broader effect where meaning is opposite to what is said, and not limited to a two-word phrase.
Opposites
Word family
- oxymoronic adjective
- containing or like an oxymoron
- oxymoronically adverb
- in an oxymoronic way
Commonly confused: oxymoron or paradox?
oxymoron vs paradox
A paradox is an apparently self-contradictory statement or situation, often longer than an oxymoron's two words.
Practice
"Deafening silence" is a well-known example of an ______.
Choose one answer.
An oxymoron joins opposite terms. An idiom is a fixed phrase with a non-literal meaning and a simile compares using like or as.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “oxymoron”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.