paradoxical

American

[par-uh-dok-si-kuhl] / ˌpær əˈdɒk sɪ kəl /

Rarely paradoxal

adjective

having the nature of a paradox; self-contradictory.
Medicine/Medical. not being the normal or usual kind.

Stimulants are a paradoxical, albeit effective, medication used for certain forms of hyperactivity.

Other Word Forms

nonparadoxical adjective
nonparadoxicalness noun
paradoxicality noun
paradoxically adverb
paradoxicalness noun
ultraparadoxical adjective
unparadoxal adjective
unparadoxical adjective

Etymology

Origin of paradoxical

paradox + -ical

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Former U.K. and Canada central banker White frets about the paradoxical relationship in the U.S. between the administration of Donald Trump and the dollar.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 7, 2026

But, he said, there was a paradoxical element of hope in the fact that white sharks were turning up for sale.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

In a paradoxical way, Mr. Khamenei’s displacement stems from his success.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025

This result is clearly paradoxical for two reasons.

From Science Daily • Nov. 2, 2025

It appeared to me increasingly paradoxical, and it has been my experience that when paradox crops up too often for comfort, it means that certain factors are missing in the equation.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023