oxymorons

Internally contradictory expressions

Oxymorons is the plural of oxymoron, a figure of speech combining contradictory terms: deafening silence, living dead, cruel kindness.

The contradiction creates emphasis or reveals complexity.

Some phrases become oxymorons only through ironic use: military intelligence, civil war, act naturally.

examples

deafening silence

Conspicuous lack of sound

bittersweetWistful yet warm
virtual realityComputer-created interactive environment
living deadCorpses somehow still animated

alone together · open secret · original copy · act naturally · pretty ugly · civil war · minor crisis · guest host · old news · working vacation

concept

contradiction

Opposing claims, incompatible together

self-contradictionClaim negating itself
paradoxSeemingly absurd truth
antithesisDirect opposite; contrasting juxtaposition

incongruity · absurdity · juxtaposition · figure of speech · rhetorical device · wordplay · tension · irony · contrast · dichotomy

effect

humor

Amusing quality

witClever, inventive humor
emphasisStress given to something
ironyMeaning opposite to words

surprise · cleverness · satire · wordplay · double meaning · comic relief · cognitive dissonance · dramatic effect · attention-grabbing

Categories

contradictionsparadox, contradiction, paradoxes, self-refutation, self-defeating
oppositesopposite, opposites, antonym, antonyms, inverse
expressionsexpression, I love you, phrase, idioms, thank you

Opposites

rhetorical coherence

oxymoronspleonasms

Superfluous verbal repetitions

tautologies · redundancies · truisms · plain speech · platitudes

Family

oxymoron, oxymoronic

Familiarity: Top 200,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Rated G