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

He enslaved more than 100 people at Mount Vernon, and historians continue to grapple with the contradiction between the nation’s founding ideals and the human bondage practiced by its first president, among his strong mythology.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

The great contradiction in Zhu’s career is that he never seems to have doubted the necessity of Communist Party control.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

There is an uncomfortable contradiction in China’s pursuit of those consumers.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026

A press release said the album would see Simon revisiting familiar themes such as "love, memory, family, self-reckoning, and forgiveness, while allowing space for contradiction, ambiguity, and emotional evolution."

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

It had long seemed a curious contradiction to Palmer, that among the three kids rollicking on the field, Henry was the tallest yet also the meekest.

From "Wringer" by Jerry Spinelli

If you haven’t been following the controversy, Wilson felt that Nolan had flattened the saga by mostly erasing the Greek gods and Odysseus’ wit, lust and thorny contradictions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

“The whole framework is full of contradictions: On the one hand the BOJ is buying bonds, pushing long-term rates down, while the Ministry of Finance is intervening to strengthen the yen,” he added.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

The committee's chair Debbie Abrahams said the government needs a unified strategy on youth employment to tackle these contradictions.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Sitting judges arguably have the best informed perspective on this Supreme Court: They must apply its jurisprudence, reconcile its contradictions, and confront the real-world effects of its rulings.

From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2026

But in those early moments, the unceasing contradictions sent me into a gloom.

From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Related Words

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