as in dichotomy
someone or something with qualities or features that seem to conflict with one another
the paradox of fighting a war for peace
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Recent Examples of paradox
Known as the twin paradox, this is the equivalent of identical twins aging differently if one of them were to travel faster than the other.
—
Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
That paradox is central to the film.
—Lise Pedersen, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
That productivity paradox has translated into spikes in youth unemployment and burnout, and a drag on economic growth.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Simpson’s paradox demonstrates how counterintuitive statistics can be This article is from Proof Positive, our friendly newsletter that explores the joys and peculiarities of math.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paradox
Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
That paradox is central to the film.
—Lise Pedersen, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
That productivity paradox has translated into spikes in youth unemployment and burnout, and a drag on economic growth.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Simpson’s paradox demonstrates how counterintuitive statistics can be This article is from Proof Positive, our friendly newsletter that explores the joys and peculiarities of math.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paradox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paradox
Noun
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There’s a definite dichotomy between upstairs and downstairs.—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
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The dichotomy of a star both banned and celebrated perfectly encapsulates Ye’s decades long career.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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No such mystery surrounded the whereabouts of Daniel Kinahan, the forty-eight-year-old Irishman who was arrested in Dubai on April 17th.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
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These materials are key to technologies such as ultrasound, sonar, and high-efficiency sensors, but their complex, disordered structure has remained a mystery for decades.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Everybody is full of contradictions.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
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The album is full of strange, brilliant contradictions; Oklou slides masterfully between fun and eccentricity, pump and pathos.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The sudden departure of new cast member Helena Bonham Carter just days into shooting has become the first great enigma of this season, leaving the French Riviera production in a scenario as uncertain as one of Mike White's scripts.—
Diego Parrado,
Vanity Fair,
26 Apr. 2026
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Bob Gray is one of the big enigmas in the book that are intentionally put there to create tension and are never solved.—
Scott Huver,
Deadline,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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During the talk, Brooks joked about the seeming incongruity of teaching courses in emotional realism under the shingle of a public policy school.—
Erin Vanderhoof,
Vanity Fair,
21 Apr. 2026
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There is an incongruity that may be best understood as an irony.—
Aaron Matz,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paradox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paradox. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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