Meaning & use
paradoxical
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Seeming to contradict itself or common sense, yet possibly true when examined more closely.
Grammar: Can come before a noun or after be: a paradoxical result, the result is paradoxical.
Patterns
- it is paradoxical that something
- a paradoxical situation
It is paradoxical that the busiest people often feel the loneliest.
The paradoxical effect of the medicine was to make patients more alert, not sleepy.
Paradoxical as it sounds, rest can make you more productive.
adjectivecomparable
Having qualities or behavior that seem to clash with each other.
Grammar: Often describes people or personalities.
Patterns
- a paradoxical figure
He was a paradoxical figure, both generous and miserly.
The city has a paradoxical charm, quiet yet chaotic.
Word forms
| comparative | more paradoxical |
|---|---|
| superlative | most paradoxical |
Common combinations
- paradoxical effect
- The drug had a paradoxical effect on some children.
- seem paradoxical
- It may seem paradoxical, but fewer options can make choosing easier.
- a paradoxical situation
- They found themselves in a paradoxical situation.
- somewhat paradoxical
- The result is somewhat paradoxical.
- paradoxical nature
- The paradoxical nature of fame is hard to explain.
Synonyms and how they differ
- contradictory
- Contradictory suggests a real conflict between statements, while paradoxical hints at a hidden truth.
- puzzling
- Puzzling only means hard to understand, without any sense of self-contradiction.
- illogical
- Illogical means without sound reasoning, whereas a paradoxical idea may still make sense.
- ironic
- Ironic is about the gap between what is expected and what happens, not about self-contradiction.
Opposites
Word family
- paradox noun
- a statement or situation that seems to contradict itself
- paradoxically adverb
- in a way that seems contradictory but may be true
- paradoxicality noun
- the quality of being paradoxical, rare
Commonly confused: paradoxical or paradoxical vs ironic?
paradoxical vs paradoxical vs ironic
Paradoxical means seemingly self-contradictory. Ironic describes an outcome opposite to what was expected.
Practice
It is ___ that the more choices a shopper has, the harder it can be to choose.
Choose one answer.
Paradoxical fits a result that seems to contradict common sense. Predictable and obvious would suggest it is expected, which it is not.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “paradoxical”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.