Need another word that means the same as “oxymoron”? Find 7 synonyms and 30 related words for “oxymoron” in this overview.
Table Of Contents:
The synonyms of “Oxymoron” are: contradiction, contradiction in terms, self-contradiction, inconsistency, incongruity, anomaly, conflict
Oxymoron as a Noun
Definitions of "Oxymoron" as a noun
According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “oxymoron” as a noun can have the following definitions:
- A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g. faith unfaithful kept him falsely true).
- Conjoining contradictory terms (as in `deafening silence.
Synonyms of "Oxymoron" as a noun (7 Words)
anomaly | Something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected. The apparent anomaly that those who produced the wealth were the poorest. |
conflict | A prolonged armed struggle. Bewildered by her own inner conflict she could only stand there feeling vulnerable. |
contradiction | The speech act of contradicting someone. The paradox of using force to overcome force is a real contradiction. |
contradiction in terms | Opposition between two conflicting forces or ideas. |
incongruity | The state of being incongruous; incompatibility. The incongruity of his fleshy face and skinny body disturbed her. |
inconsistency | An inconsistent aspect or element. The inconsistency between his expressed attitudes and his actual behaviour. |
self-contradiction | Contradicting yourself. |
Associations of "Oxymoron" (30 Words)
ambivalence | The state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone. The law s ambivalence about the importance of a victim s identity. |
antagonistic | Indicating opposition or resistance. He was antagonistic to the government s reforms. |
antinomy | A contradiction between two beliefs or conclusions that are in themselves reasonable; a paradox. There are not many short novels capable of accommodating bewildering antinomies. |
antithesis | The juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas to give a feeling of balance. His theory is the antithesis of mine. |
conflicting | On bad terms. Conflicting opinions. |
contradiction | (logic) a statement that is necessarily false. The experiment provides a contradiction of the hypothesis. |
contradictory | A contradictory proposition. Contradictory attributes of unjust justice and loving vindictiveness. |
contrary | A contrary proposition. The facts point to a contrary conclusion. |
counterpart | A person or thing having the same function or characteristics as another. The minister held talks with his French counterpart. |
cynicism | An inclination to question whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile; pessimism. Cynicism about the future. |
discordant | (of a matched pair of subjects, especially twins) not having the same trait or disease. The operative principle of democracy is a balance of discordant qualities. |
discrepant | Characterized by an illogical or surprising lack of compatibility or similarity. Widely discrepant statements. |
disjunction | State of being disconnected. There is a disjunction between the skills taught in education and those demanded in the labour market. |
dissonant | Characterized by musical dissonance; harmonically unresolved. Jackson employs both harmonious and dissonant colour choices. |
incompatibility | The quality of being unable to exist or work in congenial combination. Defects due to software incompatibility. |
incompatible | Incapable of being used with or connected to other devices or components without modification. Long hours are simply incompatible with family life. |
incongruous | Not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something. Incongruous behavior. |
inconsistency | An inconsistent aspect or element. The inconsistency between his expressed attitudes and his actual behaviour. |
inconsistent | Not capable of being made consistent or harmonious. Inconsistent with the roadmap. |
inharmonious | Lacking in harmony of parts. An inharmonious negative state of mind. |
inhospitable | (of a person) unfriendly and unwelcoming towards people. They are extremely inhospitable these days. |
ironic | Happening in a way contrary to what is expected, and typically causing wry amusement because of this. An ironic novel. |
irony | A literary technique, originally used in Greek tragedy, by which the full significance of a character’s words or actions is clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character. Irony is wasted on the stupid. |
opposing | (of two or more subjects) differing from or in conflict with each other. On the opposing page there were two addresses. |
paradox | (logic) a statement that contradicts itself. I always lie is a paradox because if it is true it must be false. |
paradoxical | Seemingly contradictory but nonetheless possibly true. It is paradoxical that standing is more tiring than walking. |
sarcasm | Witty language used to convey insults or scorn–Jonathan Swif. She didn t like the note of sarcasm in his voice. |
satire | A genre of literature characterized by the use of satire. A number of articles on Elizabethan satire. |
tautology | A statement that is true by necessity or by virtue of its logical form. The statement he is brave or he is not brave is a tautology. |
unsuited | Not easy to combine harmoniously. He was totally unsuited for the job. |