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.

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.

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.

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 …

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 …

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.

Add to word list grammar a phrase or statement that seems to say two opposite things, as in " jumbo shrimp " and " agree to disagree " (Definition of oxymoron from the Cambridge …

Dec 26, 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 …

Apr 24, 2025 · An oxymoron is a figure of speech where two seemingly contradictory or opposite words are placed next to each other to create a new, often poetic or ironic, meaning.