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
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2
as in denial
a refusal to confirm the truth of a statement
the actress's contradiction of the marriage rumor caused quite a stir
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contradiction
The contradiction in these meanings is an apt metaphor for Can’s visionary approach to her work and her singular voice among the generation of experimental Chinese writers who emerged in the 1980s.
—
René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
There are too many contradictions, too long a list of things that require confronting, too much gray area to reconcile.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
Her situation reflects a frustrating contradiction.
—Alyssa Ferro-Lloret, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
The exhibition embraces contradiction, images that are grotesque and sacred, humorous and terrifying, physical and metaphysical.
—George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contradiction
René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
There are too many contradictions, too long a list of things that require confronting, too much gray area to reconcile.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
Her situation reflects a frustrating contradiction.
—Alyssa Ferro-Lloret, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
The exhibition embraces contradiction, images that are grotesque and sacred, humorous and terrifying, physical and metaphysical.
—George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contradiction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contradiction
Noun
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Zermelo was pleased that his list of principles, known as ZF, appeared to cleanse the set-theoretic universe of many major paradoxes such as Russell’s.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
29 Apr. 2026
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And in what may seem as a paradox, Maryland last year saw a record number of flash floods, caused by the impacts of climate change, creating periods of long dry spells followed by sudden torrential rainfall.—
Sacoby Wilson,
Baltimore Sun,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Both aircraft are critical in modern conflicts as dense radar networks, long-range surface-to-air missiles, electronic warfare (EW), and anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities often define success or failure.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
-
His odds of winning an appeal of his bond denial seemed low.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Yet spiritually agnostic voters may take comfort in Talarico’s rejection of Paxton’s willful mix of Church and state.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
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The process of peer review is often shrouded in secrecy to allow colleagues to criticize one another without professional repercussions, but one paper found that special issues tend to have faster turnaround times for articles, as well as lower rejection rates.—
Anil Oza,
STAT,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contradiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contradiction. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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