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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paradox
The paradox of partnership Relationships often function like one-way life rafts, keeping men afloat while leaving women depleted.
—
Vanessa Bennett, SELF, 10 Sep. 2025
Without paradox, Pärt’s popularity today may well arise from the silence of his music.
—Jeffers Engelhardt, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
Maybe this is a paradox that will live forever, even if the band doesn’t.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Sep. 2025
Giorgio Armani, the designer whose creations are at the same time classic and revolutionary, represents a paradox in the world of fashion.
—Joseph Giovannini, Architectural Digest, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paradox
Vanessa Bennett, SELF, 10 Sep. 2025
Without paradox, Pärt’s popularity today may well arise from the silence of his music.
—Jeffers Engelhardt, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
Maybe this is a paradox that will live forever, even if the band doesn’t.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Sep. 2025
Giorgio Armani, the designer whose creations are at the same time classic and revolutionary, represents a paradox in the world of fashion.
—Joseph Giovannini, Architectural Digest, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paradox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paradox
Noun
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This means ending the false dichotomy between college and career pathways.—
Matt Gandal,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Busta also received an assist from Papoose and Joyner Lucas, all of them sharing lyrical wordplay and seamless tradeoffs as Busta swung between his trademark dichotomy of rapping to gruff bellowing.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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These fossils are now helping to solve a mystery in paleontology.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Sep. 2025
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At the baseline, that means making sure not to let the trash can overflow and instead taking it out often, as well as ensuring spots like your trash can, sink disposal, or fridge are free of any mystery odors.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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As a discipline, advertising is beset by all sorts of weird internal contradictions, although that’s probably to be expected, given the thankless job commercials are tasked with carrying out.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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Others pointed out the contradiction between tone and content.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Over time, the fate of the footage has become one of the biggest enigmas in Hollywood history.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
5 Sep. 2025
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More Michael Owens/Getty Images Leonard has always been regarded as an enigma because of his chronic injury problems and his extremely introverted (and some would say odd) personality.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Likewise, the airy comedy (boosted by Thomas Newman’s sprightly if familiar-sounding score) insists on the seeming incongruity between the film’s lovely setting and its darker subject matter.—
Manuel Betancourt,
Variety,
22 Aug. 2025
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In contemplating the religious system of the Aztecs, one is struck with its apparent incongruity, as if some portion of it had emanated from a comparatively refined people, open to gentle influences, while the rest breathes a spirit of unmitigated ferocity.—
Sebastian Purcell
August 18,
Literary Hub,
18 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paradox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paradox. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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