aporia
Americannoun
-
Rhetoric. the expression of a simulated or real doubt, as about where to begin or what to do or say.
-
Logic, Philosophy. a difficulty encountered in establishing the theoretical truth of a proposition, created by the presence of evidence both for and against it.
noun
-
rhetoric a doubt, real or professed, about what to do or say
-
philosophy puzzlement occasioned by the raising of philosophical objections without any proffered solutions, esp in the works of Socrates
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of aporia
1580–90; < Late Latin < Greek: state of being at a loss, equivalent to ápor ( os ) impassable ( see a- 6, pore 2) + -ia -ia
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A Spectrum service disruption, a Con Ed mistake; a metaphor, an aporia, a sci-fi cliché: At the Stenner/Lucas apartment, the screen goes blank, the phones are dead, the laptops are “lifeless.”
From New York Times ● Oct. 20, 2020
The four thirtysomethings have reached an aporia: “Adult life has fully revealed itself, wearing a limp, grey dressing gown.”
From The New Yorker ● Sep. 24, 2018
In each case, he dealt with a jarring aporia in his perspective simply through the affirmation of a soaring, if somewhat base, sentiment.
From The Guardian ● May 28, 2012
“To be, or not to be ... ” may be the most celebrated aporia in literary history.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
Apostrophe** or aporia*** or comprobatio* or argumentum ad populumM serve to put the speaker in a given relation with ‘Evading an issue by digression. You may have noticed it happening on the news. “
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
And these aporiae hardly touch knots—only very small spots—in a reed of admirable strength and beauty.
From A History of the French Novel, Vol. 2 To the Close of the 19th Century by Saintsbury, George
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
