contradiction

American  

[kon-truh-dik-shuhn] / ˌkɒn trəˈdɪk ʃən /

noun

• contradictions
  plural

1. the act of contradicting; gainsaying or opposition.

2. assertion of the contrary or opposite; denial.

3. a statement or proposition that contradicts or denies another or itself and is logically incongruous.

4. direct opposition between things compared; inconsistency.

5. a contradictory act, fact, etc.

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contradiction British  

/ ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkʃən /

noun

1. the act of going against; opposition; denial

2. a declaration of the opposite or contrary

3. a statement that is at variance with itself (often in the phrase a contradiction in terms )

4. conflict or inconsistency, as between events, qualities, etc

5. a person or thing containing conflicting qualities

6. logic a statement that is false under all circumstances; necessary falsehood

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• intercontradiction
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• contradictions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of contradiction

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English contradiccioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin contrādictiōn-, stem of contrādictiō “counterargument, objection, reply”; equivalent to contradict + -ion

Explanation

A contradiction is a situation or ideas in opposition to one another. Declaring publicly that you are an environmentalist but never remembering to take out the recycling is an example of a contradiction. A "contradiction in terms" is a common phrase used to describe a statement that contains opposing ideas. Examples of a contradiction in terms include, "the gentle torturer," "the towering midget," or "a snowy summer's day." A person can also express a contradiction, like the person who professes atheism, yet goes to church every Sunday.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

contradiction contradictions

But lawyers for the families of the victims said the Government's attempt to withhold the information, through a Public Interest Immunity application, was in "contradiction" to statements made after the attack.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

The contradiction between a relatively warm early Earth and a cooler, dimmer Sun is known as the Faint Young Sun paradox.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026

The contradiction sitting at the center of all this isn’t subtle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

“It’s funny, because you keep saying that this song sounds like it landed from another world, but there’s a stark contradiction in that statement,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

Applied to an opponent, it means the habit of impudently claiming that black is white, in contradiction of the plain facts.

From "1984" by George Orwell

Both men deny intentionally ever taking performance-enhancing drugs, but away from that issue their showdown is wrapped in the contradictions that define modern boxing.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

Maybe someone smarter or more charismatic than Erika Kirk would have been able to navigate these contradictions.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

If your profile says you studied computer science in one place and art history in another, that inconsistency stands out, and these models are good at catching contradictions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

But it turned out to be a weak case, one that falls apart under the weight of its own contradictions, omissions, and leaps of illogic.

From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026

I had forgotten how to act naturally, thinking way too much in each situation and getting tangled in the contradictions between my two worlds.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore

Related Words

• conflict
• difference
• disagreement
• discrepancy
• dispute
• inconsistency