contradiction

[ kon-truh-dik-shuhn ]

/ ˌkɒn trəˈdɪk ʃən /

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See synonyms for: contradiction / contradictions on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act of contradicting; gainsaying or opposition.

assertion of the contrary or opposite; denial.

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

direct opposition between things compared; inconsistency.

a contradictory act, fact, etc.

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Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of contradiction

1350–1400; Middle English contradiccioun (<Anglo-French ) <Latin contrādictiōn- (stem of contrādictiō). See contradict, -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM contradiction

in·ter·con·tra·dic·tion, noun

Words nearby contradiction

contractual, contracture, contracyclical, contradance, contradict, contradiction, contradiction in terms, contradictious, contradictive, contradictory, contradistinction

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use contradiction in a sentence

These days, his emails have homed in on the contradictions of covid-19 health orders.
Getting vaccinated is hard. It’s even harder without the internet.|Eileen Guo|February 3, 2021|MIT Technology Review
Just remember, Google is also an emerging technology, and a lot of what it’s doing in the algorithm stands in contradiction to the full-on adoption of AI written content.
Taking your SEO content beyond the acquisition|Mordy Oberstein|February 2, 2021|Search Engine Watch
Pack hired two Washington firms, McGuireWoods and Caplin & Drysdale — apparently in contradiction to federal contracting regulations and guidelines, according to internal documents.
Former Voice of America overseer hired two law firms to $4 million no-bid contracts.|Paul Farhi|January 25, 2021|Washington Post
Takeuchi doesn’t see a contradiction with the county’s withholding of outbreak data, on the one hand, and the sharing of home addresses with law enforcement, on the other.
County Distributes COVID Patients’ Addresses to Police Agencies|Jesse Marx|January 21, 2021|Voice of San Diego

The contradiction is more apparent as, over a lifetime, one expects to shift from role to role.
Miss Manners: Bossy invitation offends guests|Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin, Jacobina Martin|January 20, 2021|Washington Post
This may seem like a contradiction, if “conservative” means political conservatism.
Supreme Court to Gay-Marriage Foes: Get Lost|Jay Michaelson|October 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On some level, Brecht meant for Mother Courage to be an ambivalent figure—he called her “a great living contradiction.”
Brecht's Mercenary Mother Courage Turns 75|Katie Baker|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And an inherent contradiction within the Sunni coalition could well trigger a breakup in the longer term.
Iraq Preps for a Civil War Rematch|Jamie Dettmer|June 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Indeed, the very idea of a same-sex marriage seemed to most people a contradiction in terms.
Opposing Gay Marriage Doesn’t Make You a Crypto-Racist|Jonathan Rauch|April 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He laughs at the unintentional contradiction of that statement.
And The Escort of The Year Is… Backstage at The Sex Oscars|Scott Bixby|March 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But all of this is in contradiction to the curses of Jahveh on the serpent, and on those to whom the serpent brought wisdom.
Solomon and Solomonic Literature|Moncure Daniel Conway
This established beyond contradiction, the general equality of men.
The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States|Martin R. Delany
I found here a contradiction to the vulgar opinion, that hydrophobia is not known in Brazil.
Journal of a Voyage to Brazil|Maria Graham
On the fourth of October was put forth a vehement contradiction of the story.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.|Thomas Babington Macaulay
Her wanting me to lend her money in contradiction to all rules established between Aunts and Nephews is a very ugly circumstance.
Private Letters of Edward Gibbon (1753-1794) Volume 1 (of 2)|Edward Gibbon

British Dictionary definitions for contradiction

contradiction

/ (ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkʃən) /

noun

the act of going against; opposition; denial

a declaration of the opposite or contrary

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

conflict or inconsistency, as between events, qualities, etc

a person or thing containing conflicting qualities

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

contradiction

Origin of contradiction

OTHER WORDS FROM contradiction

Words nearby contradiction

Words related to contradiction

How to use contradiction in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for contradiction