contradiction
Americannoun
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the act of contradicting; gainsaying or opposition.
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assertion of the contrary or opposite; denial.
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a statement or proposition that contradicts or denies another or itself and is logically incongruous.
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direct opposition between things compared; inconsistency.
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a contradictory act, fact, etc.
noun
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the act of going against; opposition; denial
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a declaration of the opposite or contrary
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a statement that is at variance with itself (often in the phrase a contradiction in terms )
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conflict or inconsistency, as between events, qualities, etc
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a person or thing containing conflicting qualities
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logic a statement that is false under all circumstances; necessary falsehood
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing contradiction
Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - Introductory
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You Can Say That Again: Dic and Dict
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The AP English Exam: Rhetorical and Literary Terms 2
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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.
But that’s also exactly the kind of contradiction Madonna has staked her career on.
From Salon • Jul. 8, 2026
This apparent contradiction became known as the black hole information paradox.
From Science Daily • Jul. 5, 2026
Nor are the formerly enslaved Americans who forced the nation to confront the grotesque contradiction between slavery and constitutional liberty.
From Slate • Jul. 2, 2026
“It stands in contradiction to our current historical moment,” Wicks says of the show.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
But I found Izzy's mom to be a contradiction in terms.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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.
