Definition of contradictionnext
1
as in paradox
someone or something with qualities or features that seem to conflict with one another a loving father as well as a ruthless killer, the gangster is a living contradiction

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contradiction The contradiction of the trim Parisian and the butter croissant now has a storefront. ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026 That contradiction sits at the center of the settlement discussion, and no amount of goodwill can negotiate around it. Joseph M. Singer, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026 Babies taps into a conversation happening everywhere, finding humor in the pressures, expectations, and contradictions of modern adulthood. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026 The beef also seemed to highlight some of his contradictions. Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contradiction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contradiction
Noun
  • Clarke’s legacy, of a philosophical cinema that turns form into inquiry, critique, and protest, is also a cinema of paradox.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The phrase cradles this paradox; depending on the context, the phrase could mean bliss or tragedy.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Improve home-health billing, claims submission, denial management, legacy accounts receivable, revenue-cycle dashboards, and financial sustainability.
    Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The denial-of-service attacks meant that hackers pushed massive traffic toward the agency in order to block services, including one that enables citizens to use one login across multiple public services.
    ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • But there’s also a subtle rejection of the earnest wokeness of years past.
    Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
  • But her part ultimately was cut from the film, which Hart said in a 2011 interview with SheKnows helped teach her about rejection.
    Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contradiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contradiction. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on contradiction

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster