contradiction

contradiction — noun

1. two statements, ideas, or sets of facts each saying the opposite of the other, m

1.nounB2
Definition

two statements, ideas, or sets of facts each saying the opposite of the other, making it impossible for both to be correct.

Example

Paloma noticed a contradiction between the company's safety rules and the way workers actually behaved.

contradiction between X and Y

There is a contradiction in the two reports: one says Tuesday, the other Wednesday.

Common collocations
  • clear contradiction
  • direct contradiction
  • apparent contradiction
  • contradiction between
  • contradiction in
Synonyms
  • inconsistency

    less direct; suggests parts do not match rather than being complete opposites

  • conflict

    stronger; implies active opposition rather than logical incompatibility

  • discrepancy

    focuses on a difference between things that should match, not on logical opposition

Antonyms
  • agreement

    the state of matching or being consistent

  • consistency

    the quality of parts fitting together without conflict

  • harmony

    implies a pleasing or natural fit rather than mere agreement

Grammar Patterns

a/the contradiction between X and Y

a contradiction in X

Usage Note

Commonly appears in the patterns 'contradiction between X and Y' (comparing two things) and 'contradiction in X' (within one thing). The adjective form is 'contradictory'.

Common Mistakes

There is a contradiction of the two statements.
There is a contradiction between the two statements.
use 'between' not 'of' when pointing out two conflicting items.
It is a contradiction that he came late.
It is a contradiction that he said he was early yet arrived late.
a contradiction requires two opposing claims, not just one unexpected event.

2. a phrase or statement that combines words with opposite meanings, so that the ov

2.nounB2
Definition

a phrase or statement that combines words with opposite meanings, so that the overall expression does not make logical sense.

Example

The phrase 'silent scream' is a contradiction because a scream must make a sound.

example of a contradictory phrase

The critic called 'military intelligence' a contradiction in terms, and the audience laughed.

contradiction in terms (fixed phrase)

Common collocations
  • contradiction in terms
  • obvious contradiction
  • logical contradiction
Synonyms
  • oxymoron

    the technical rhetorical term; more formal than contradiction

  • paradox

    a statement that seems self-contradictory but may reveal a deeper truth

Antonyms
  • consistency

    the quality of parts fitting together logically

  • coherence

    the quality of making sense as a whole

Grammar Patterns

a contradiction in terms

X is a contradiction

Usage Note

Often used in the fixed expression 'a contradiction in terms' to label a phrase whose parts conflict. 'Oxymoron' is a more technical term for the same idea.

Common Mistakes

The idea is a contradiction in term.
The idea is a contradiction in terms.
the phrase is always 'in terms' (plural), never 'in term'.

3. the act of openly stating that a claim made by another person is false or incorr

3.nounB2
Definition

the act of openly stating that a claim made by another person is false or incorrect.

Example

The journalist's contradiction of the official story appeared on the front page of the paper.

contradiction of + story/claim

Gabriel listened to the criticism without offering a single word of contradiction.

Common collocations
  • direct contradiction
  • contradiction of
  • without contradiction
  • immediate contradiction
Synonyms
  • denial

    stronger; asserts that something is false, while contradiction challenges the speaker

  • rebuttal

    more formal; presents counter-arguments rather than a simple denial

  • refutation

    formal and often technical; suggests proving a statement false with evidence

Antonyms
  • confirmation

    a statement that supports what someone else has said

  • agreement

    the act of sharing or accepting someone else's view

Grammar Patterns

contradiction of + statement/claim/report

without contradiction

Usage Note

Often used in the pattern 'contradiction of + [statement/claim/report]' to specify what is being disputed. When used as an uncountable noun ('without contradiction'), it describes an absence of opposition.

Idioms

a contradiction in terms

idiom

A phrase that combines two words with opposite meanings.

The phrase 'jumbo shrimp' is a contradiction in terms.

Is 'working vacation' a contradiction in terms?

Word family

  • contradict
    verbB2
  • contradictory
    adjectiveB2
  • contradictorily
    adverbC1
  • contradicted
    adjectiveB2
  • self-contradictory
    adjectiveC1
  • contradicting
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe a lack of agreement, but they differ in strength and scope. A contradiction is the strongest: it means two things are direct opposites, so one must be false. An inconsistency is milder — it suggests parts do not match or align properly, but not necessarily that they are opposites. A conflict implies active opposition, like two ideas that cannot coexist peacefully, often with a sense of struggle. A discrepancy focuses on an unexpected difference between two things that ought to match, such as numbers or records, without the logical force of contradiction. For example, a witness saying 'the car was red' and another saying 'the car was blue' is a contradiction; saying 'the car was red' and 'the car was parked at 8 PM' when the records show 9 PM is a discrepancy.

contradiction ↗inconsistencyconflict ↗discrepancy

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Contradiction comes from Latin 'contradicere', which means 'to speak against'. It combines 'contra-' (against) and 'dicere' (to say). The word passed through Old French ('contradiction') and Middle English before settling into its modern form. The sense of logical opposition dates from the 14th century, while the meaning of a self-contradictory phrase developed later.