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.

---

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

---

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

What seems like a contradiction is really a generation deciding whether AI’s uncertainty is a threat or an opportunity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Elif Oral, M.D., a clinician and Professor in the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, has spent much of her career trying to understand this apparent contradiction.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has acknowledged the contradiction, arguing that the value of Hormuz lies in increasing the volume of shipping through it rather than reducing it.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

This silence reveals a deeper contradiction at the heart of the world’s most popular sport.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 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

The tensions of keeping the industry of Hollywood at arm’s length while warmly embracing all the contradictions of the city of Los Angeles have long animated him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

The committee also said there were "policy contradictions", with benefits cuts for people in training undermining the government's drive to encourage apprenticeships, describing the "lack of coherence" as "inexcusable".

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

Harris’ address at the site of the Declaration’s signing does not shy away from America’s contradictions.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

If we lift the veil and look underneath...we shall discover much emptiness, darkness, and confusion; nay, if I mistake not, direct impossibilities and contradictions....

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

Related Words

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