While we are loath to place restrictions on language use, oxymoron usually refers to a set of contradictory words (such as bittersweet) rather than to a contradictory person.

May 13, 2025 · An oxymoron is a figure of speech, usually one or two words, in which seemingly contradictory terms appear side by side. This contradiction is also known as a paradox.

An oxymoron (plurals: oxymorons and oxymora) is a figure of speech that juxtaposes concepts with opposite meanings within a word or in a phrase that is a self-contradiction.

Essentially, an oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms. It’s a compact paradox, a statement that appears self-contradictory but contains a deeper truth.

Mar 11, 2025 · Learn what an oxymoron is with these examples, definitions, and explanations. Discover how oxymorons add irony, humor, and depth to language and writing.

Oxymorons can add color, humor, and meaning to language in all sorts of ways. Oxymorons are useful tools for authors and poets because they're based in contradiction, which makes them capable of …

A partially-evolved cell (an oxymoron) can't wait millions of years for chance to make it complete and then become living!

OXYMORON definition: a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in “cruel kindness” or “to make haste slowly.” See examples of oxymoron …

Definition of oxymoron noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Nov 17, 2025 · Oxymoron, a word or group of words that is self-contradicting, as in bittersweet or plastic glass. Oxymorons are similar to such other devices as paradox and antithesis and are often used in …