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

The two are no contradiction, and much more is possible.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

On climate change, the contradiction is even starker.

From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2026

If that seems like an impossible contradiction, welcome to the mid-2020s, where reality seems increasingly like dystopian science fiction mixed with an especially opaque John le Carré spy thriller.

From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026

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

I saw allusions in passages that Danny and his father overlooked, and I resolved a contradiction with an appeal to grammar.

From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok

He sees contradictions – uncertain youth in a powerful, assertive country; disillusionment despite huge advancement – and his job, he says, is to unpack what is driving it.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

And, as I explained in my last column, bond gauges offer some confusing contradictions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

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

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

Synthetic yet organic, populist yet elitist, the $1 billion Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is full of contradictions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

Nevertheless, with one of those startling contradictions so common in mythology, she kept the Greek Fleet from sailing to Troy until they sacrificed a maiden to her.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Related Words

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