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
This theory of form contains a paradox in practice.
—
Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 10 May 2025
California’s climb to the world’s fourth-largest economy marks a milestone and illustrates a paradox.
—Aref Aziz, Mercury News, 9 May 2025
The paradox of grit, active coping and brain health
Grit has become a central idea in psychology.
—Darlingtina Esiaka, The Conversation, 8 May 2025
And here’s the paradox: Just when your leaders need the most support, many companies pull it away.
—Tom Roberts, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for paradox
Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 10 May 2025
California’s climb to the world’s fourth-largest economy marks a milestone and illustrates a paradox.
—Aref Aziz, Mercury News, 9 May 2025
The paradox of grit, active coping and brain health
Grit has become a central idea in psychology.
—Darlingtina Esiaka, The Conversation, 8 May 2025
And here’s the paradox: Just when your leaders need the most support, many companies pull it away.
—Tom Roberts, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for paradox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paradox
Noun
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This dichotomy of leadership styles could prove instrumental in a locker room filled with rookies and rising stars.—
Anthony De Leon,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2025
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Encapsulating the dichotomy of genre, SINNERS explores perceptions of the blues and gospel music, which are identical sonically—but wrestle in connotation as blues was once deemed the devil’s music.—
Nia Shumake,
Essence,
15 May 2025
Noun
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Ray is an enigma and a mystery, a man who zips into town on a motorbike like a phantom and could just as easily evaporate at any minute.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
18 May 2025
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The identity of the man in the photo remained a mystery to the outside world until USA TODAY sought clarification from federal officials.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
18 May 2025
Noun
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Listen for what’s unsaid, name the contradictions and hold a space where growth actually takes root.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
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The arrival of white South Africans in the U.S. as refugees highlights the contradictions of Trump’s immigration policies, Hamed Aleaziz and Michael Crowley write.—
Eric Lipton,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
Noun
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An underused Baranski delivers her usual dazzle as Victoria, and Kidman once again commits fully to the steely Russian enigma known as Masha.—
Kristen Baldwin,
EW.com,
19 May 2025
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The character is an enigma, the focus of one of the series’ biggest mysteries.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Already concerned about the incongruity of having a comic yukking it up with what was happening with the AP and other outlets, the WHCA scrapped her.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2025
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Kirby’s incongruity is terrifying, so said someone much wiser than me.—
Mitch Wallace,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paradox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paradox. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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