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

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

That contradiction is at the heart of the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026

New research from Constructor University neuroscientist Dr. Radwa Khalil examines the science behind this apparent contradiction.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 3, 2026

It is another reminder of a curious contradiction.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

Those squeaky hinges were the answer to everything, they explained the inexplicable, they wiped out the contradiction between Gebu’s innocent daytime behavior and his mysteriously increasing wealth.

From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

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

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

It offers a somewhat surreal vision of the Western U.S. and the many contradictions it contains—fame and loneliness, rural and urban, traditional and contemporary—in a sumptuous if disjointed collage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

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

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

Harry paused, pondering yet another of Malcolm and Maud’s puzzling contradictions.

From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson

Related Words

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