contradiction
noun
Thomas Hobbes
Examples of contradiction in a Sentence
Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024
The crackdown has exposed one of the main contradictions of wartime Russia, where nationalist fervor promoted by the government has brought xenophobia to new highs even as foreign workers have become an irreplaceable part of the country’s war effort.
—Valerie Hopkins, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Such a contradiction is central to the novel’s larger conflict, which is the tension between artifice and authenticity.
—David L. Ulin, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
The only thing more annoying than human contradictions is the person who has successfully transcended them.
—Meghan O'Gieblyn, WIRED, 25 Mar. 2024
But here’s where the sordid circus comes in, not to mention a certain liberal contradiction.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024
The Mysteries Of Sickle Cell And Multiple Sclerosis For decades, scientists were baffled by what seemed like an evolutionary contradiction.
—Robert Pearl, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
Even if nothing ultimately comes of the Ohtani scandal, the contradictions can’t hold forever.
—Corbin Smith, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2024
And if armed conflict seemed the only way for Algerians to shake off France’s long domination, Fanon could have remained more intellectually honest, and less tangled in contradiction, by taking a critical stance.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contradiction.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Middle English contradiccioun "objection, opposition, contradiction in logic" borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French contradiction, borrowed from Latin contrādictiōn-, contrādictiō "act of speaking in opposition, counterargument" (Late Latin also "contradiction in logic," after Greek antíphasis), from contrādic-, variant stem of contrādīcere "to speak against, object to" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at contradict
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing contradiction
Dictionary Entries Near contradiction
Cite this Entry
“Contradiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contradiction. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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contradiction
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on contradiction
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about contradiction
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