Read on to find out how oxymoron is distinct from each of these terms. That's what I did just now. Of a mocking tale or a gibe. Consider the common oxymorons and think about times they may have been included in conversations you have had. Figure of Speech: Definition and Examples, Brief Introductions to Common Figures of Speech, Figures of Speech: The Apostrophe as a Literary Device, Definition and Examples of Dialectic in Rhetoric, Definition and Examples of Irony (Figure of Speech). In some rare cases, however, a common word may have multiple meanings including a meaning so infrequent it is not well known. pleonasm, noun : the coincident use of a word and its substitute for the same grammatical function. Oxymoron is made up of two words that are Greek to me. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Examples of Oxymorons in Sentences Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. 'Simile' and 'metaphor' are just the beginning. Oxymoron Quotes. Dr. Richard Nordquist is professor emeritus of rhetoric and English at Georgia Southern University and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks. Here are some examples of oxymoron that may be found in everyday writing or conversation: Think you havent heard of any famous oxymorons? Struggling with distance learning? Use of any trademarks on You Go Words is for informational purposes only and citing sources of information where appropriate. Answer (1 of 9): Google "literary devices list with examples". "The Sound of Silence": Song by Simon . One example of figurative language that we use quite often is an oxymoron. I believe work should be fun, and you try to crush peoples spirits. Copyright 2023 Literary Devices. The phrasedaily night certainly features contrary wording. The couple's relationship becomes a bright spot for both of them in the midst of war, but ultimately also a source of pain and confusion for Jordan, as he struggles to balance his obligation to fight with his desire to live happily by Maria's side. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. The album's recording took place from June 2012 through 2013. However, a bone may seem juicy to a dog that is salivating at the thought of chewing it. tags: independent-thought , initiative , oxymoron , paradox. Also, they often lead the reader to an underlying truth. Oxymoron is a 8 letter word, used as a noun, with Latin origins, and has the letters mnooorxy (mnorxy). When you're ready to graduate from oxymorons to symbolism, enjoy these examples of symbolism in literature. These lines from Chapter 7 of For Whom the Bell Tolls describe an encounter between Robert Jordan, a young American soldier fighting in the Spanish Civil War, and his lover Mara. An oxymoron is a figure of speech that deliberately uses two contradictory ideas. By contrast, the very idea of false knowledge is an oxymoron. Yet, original copy as an oxymoron commonly and figuratively means that the content of the copy is original. You know what it looks like but what is it called? - Contact Us - Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions, Definition and Examples of Literary Terms, Little Bighorn Battlefield (national monument in Montana), CatDog (American animated television series), Big Little Lies (book by Liane Moriarty, adapted into television series for HBO), Quotes from a Devout Atheist (compilation book of Richard Dawkins quotes), Waking Dream (American documentary film), You cant have more types of fake news than real news. (Elon Musk), Im nobody! Perfect if you enjoy the oxymoron of a synonym being an antonym. Oxymorons aren't limited to the first few letters of the alphabet. Or polite meaningless words, Or have lingered awhile and said. The combination of these contradicting elements serves to reveal a paradox, confuse, or give the reader a laugh. My play was a complete success. The following lines refer to Lancelot, who is in love with Guinevere, King Arthur's wife. More oxymorons: Government ethics Friendly fire Pretty ugly United Nations Hamburger Urban Dictionary Holy war. As the example's author, Richard Watson Todd, said, "The true beauty of oxymorons is that, unless we sit back and really think, we happily accept them as normalEnglish. A common oxymoron is the phrase "the same difference." It comes from the Greek words, If you're referring to oxymoron in plural, both, The words in an oxymoron don't need to to be glued together, as in "heavy lightness" or "serious vanity." An oxymoron combines two contradictory words to give them a deeper and more poetic meaning. The phrase "cruel kindness" is an oxymoron. 'Hiemal,' 'brumation,' & other rare wintry words. But once you become fluent in English, it's easy to recognize such oxymorons for the figures of speech that they are. A good example of an oxymoron is the sound of silence. Some examples of oxymorons include: Sweet sorrow; Cruel kindness; Living dead; The focus of antithesis is opposites rather than contradictions. - Ram Pillai. As well as playing with oxymorons, Oscar Wilde was also a master of symbolism. The cat (and its speed) speed is compared to the wind. But oxymorons can also occur over the course of a clause or sentence, as in "That silence after your joke was deafening." Shakespeare used a great many oxymorons in his plays. "A lot of people never use their initiative because no-one told them to.". Oxymoron can enhance drama in writing. However, oxymorons aren't always so serious. freezer burn. This site is for entertainment and informational purposes only. An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms or ideas are intentionally paired in order to make a pointparticularly to reveal a deeper or hidden truth. Oxymoron Example 2. An example might help: the oxymoron "sweet sorrow" speaks to the paradox that love and pain can go together, but the oxymoron is not, in and of itself, the paradox that it expresses. They can enhance writing and communication in a variety of ways, including by adding dramatic effect. Need more synonyms now? The "nakedly dressed" oxymoron immediately follows the description of Ada's drawings, in which she combines together unlikely species: just as oxymorons conjoin unlikely words and ideas. However, an oxymoron is more specific than a contradiction in terms: it must be crafted intentionally in order to suggest that two contradictory ideas go together because their unlikely combination reveals a deeper truth. Information provided is without warranty or claim of accuracy. starts with a vowel and ends in a consonant, 8 letters, 5 consonants, 3 vowels, 4 syllables, unclearness by virtue of having more than one meaning, a contradiction between two statements that seem equally reasonable, a flat plate that controls or directs the flow of fluid or energy, conjoining contradictory terms (as in `deafening silence''), a predetermined set of movements in dancing or skating, a representation of a person (especially in the form of sculpture), language used in a figurative or nonliteral sense, Word Unscambler has been renamed and will be altered to a complete, In The Middle / In The Center word finding. 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.As a rhetorical device, an oxymoron illustrates a point to communicate and reveal a paradox. Reading & Writing. She feels sadness knowing she must say good night to Romeo. Authors and musicians often use oxymorons as a rhetorical device. For example, 'cats' and 'cat' both have the same stem, as do 'readability' and 'readable.' Oxymoron examples. This is especially achieved if the word pairing reveals intensity or a great difference in quality. Oxymoron. Im the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. "Lancelot and Elaine" by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Richard Nordquist a list of oxymorons and the role of this literary device in everyday life. Provide words that can be used twice or more in one sentence with example sentences. a stylistic device combining contradictory words to form a new semantic entity, for example, "sorrowful joy" (S. A. Esenin). Different results appear for sounds and rhymes. [Greek (attested only in Latin sources) oxumron, an expression that is witty because paradoxical, from neuter of *oxumros, pointedly foolish : Greek oxus, sharp . This contradiction creates a paradoxical image in the reader or listener's mind that generates a new concept or meaning for the whole. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. One moose, two moose. An oxymoron is a figure of speech where two words of opposite meaning are used together. [+] more examples [-] hide examples [+] Example sentences [-] Hide examples oxymoronic In an oxymoron, the words themselves have a shade of contradiction in their definitions. In common usage, a figure of speech is a word or phrase that means something more or something other than it seems to saythe opposite of a literal expression. Oxymorons in Romeo and Juliet. Here are some common oxymorons, some of which refer to classic and pop-culture works: Alone together; The shackles of an old love straitened him, His honour rooted in dishonour stood, And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true. Today, many people use the term "oxymoron" as a synonym for any expression whose components contradict one another, even contradictions that are unintentional or come up in casual conversation (also called a "contradiction in terms"). It is also comedic in terms of behavior, both in terms of a man acting like a child or a child behaving like a man.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'literarydevices_net-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_14',131,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-literarydevices_net-large-mobile-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'literarydevices_net-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_15',131,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-literarydevices_net-large-mobile-banner-1-0_1');.large-mobile-banner-1-multi-131{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:15px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:15px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. For example, "good" and "bad" are antonyms. An oxymoron can seem absurd yet make perfect sense at the same time. Teachers and parents! An Oxymoron is a combination of contradictory or incongruous words, such as 'Cruel Kindness' or 'Jumbo Shrimp' (Jumbo means 'large' while Shrimp means 'small'). In each example, the oxymoron is underlined. The defining characteristic of an oxymoron is combining words or phrases that have opposite meanings. "All your perfect imperfections " - from All of Me by John Legend. Parts of Speech Quiz, Search - Home - AboutPrivacy - Terms - Contact - Permissions A 1995 study[1] found that junior high school students were able to recognize between 10,000-12,000 words, whereas college students were able to recognize between 12,000-17,000 words. How to use oxymoron in a sentence. 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. Send a word find feature request to let me know. Click these words to find out how many points they are worth, their definitions, and all the other words that can be made by unscrambling the letters from these words. What is an oxymoron? This example is similar to the lines above from Romeo and Juliet, in that both use the contradictory terms of an oxymoron to reflect the characters' experience of thwarted love. In this creative writing activity, students will put their figurative language skills to the test as they craft a story using some catchy contradictory phrases! One of the most famous examples of the use of oxymorons is the following speech by Romeo from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: Oxymorons are often used poetically as a way of bringing out a fresh meaning in a word or phrase. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Some people mistake pairs of antonyms for oxymorons, but they are not the same. Continue with Recommended Cookies. You'll find common figures of speech, plus references to works of classic and pop culture. Interested in readability? When we think of oxymorons, we often think of two-word phrases with seemingly opposite components, like "alone together" or "sweet sorrow."But in some instances, a single word is all it takes. Oxymoron. Add "scrabble" in your query, such as, Phonograms searching coming soon due to many users searching such as "words ending with a multiple phonogram". There's a drama and simplicity to the "fair is foul" oxymoron, which becomes a refrain as the play goes on and characters begin to act according to the witches' moral code. This device is often used for emphasis, for humor, to create tension, or to illustrate a paradox (see next entry for more information on paradoxes). Prepositions of Time at in on parting is such sweet sorrow. If you could not find the words you were looking for, please submit feedback or leave a comment below. Conversation Starters ", Oxymorons have been used since the days of the ancient Greek poets. Learn a new word every day. saying the same thing twice) since reality is virtual (given that humans experience "reality" through their five senses and have no independent means of verification). Determining Word Rank The word rank metric is a measure of word frequency, with frequent words corresponding to higher ranks. Like a paradox, an oxymoron is what's known as a "contradiction in terms," although oxymorons and paradoxes are two different things, as explained below. An oxymoron is a rhetorical device in which seemingly contradictory or incongruous terms appear in conjunction with each other. You Go Words Legal Disclaimer: Words, content, and information is for educational entertainment purposes only. This love feel I, that feel no love in this. 'Oxymoron' is the singular form, and 'Oxymora' (or 'Oxymorons') is the plural form. Seperate words by area of focus. Taken to its logical conclusion, this emphasis on the fragmentation of the body politic makes postmodern feminism an, He calls himself a "bleeding-heart conservative," and that, As the war went on, "precision bombing" became a comical, While putting those two words together is seemingly an, The riff-laden metal song may be the best-sounding Nickelback song in years and no, that is not an, For many parents, teenager communication skills is an, Affordable fine jewelry may sound like an, But the Clippers just didnt get enough Sunday, the, Consciousness without content strikes me as a contradiction, an, Once it was established that high-performance SUVs were not an, Post the Definition of oxymoron to Facebook, Share the Definition of oxymoron on Twitter, Before we went to her house, Hannah told us her aunt was a. Nabokov's novel Ada tells the story of Van and Ada, a sister and brother who meet as teenagers and fall in love, believing that they are cousins. This allows us to group slight variations of the same word. These word pairings are not inherently opposite, but their individual concepts can seem contradictory when combined. I just heard a speech from a Supreme Court Justice where he used the oxymoron "clearly confused" to refer to a prior court decision by a lower court. The English word oxymoron comes from the Greek words "oxy," meaning sharp or keen, and "moros," meaning foolish. Review the example sentences below to get a better sense of how oxymorons can be used in sentences and dialogue. For some real-world examples of oxymorons in writing, review a few lines from literature and songs. Solving word puzzles using an underscore or dash ( Example: _a_t_i_a ). Oxymoron is often confused with other related terms, such as "contradiction in terms," "paradox," and "antonym." The oxymoron is a figure of speech that adds depth and technique to literary works. civil war. | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples It presents one thing as another completely different thing so as to draw a powerful comparison of images. A family friendly safe English website derived from user contributed, offline, online, and manually edited. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. The use of oxymorons helps you demonstrate your linguistic skills. Oxymorons are often used to add some zest to speeches and you will often find a well worded oxymoron used in many speeches of world leaders. Browse 110 oxymoron stock photos and images available, or search for contradiction or irony to find more great stock photos and pictures. Here are some examples of oxymoron that may be found in everyday expression: insertListLink('', 2, 2, 'shortexamples'). Show with prefix and suffix options, only if it has a root word. An oxymoron is a figure of speech that puts together opposite elements. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. genuine imitation. Quotes tagged as "oxymoron" Showing 1-30 of 30. The analyzer then shows synonyms and related words your audience may be more familiar with. In this poem, Auden utilizes the oxymoron juicy bone. Of course, a bone is generally considered dry and the opposite of juicy. Without, or with, offence to friends or foes. Through the phrase terrific liar, Holden is admitting that he is both a deceptive person and that hes extraordinarily great at being so. 2023 LoveToKnow Media. In turn, if something is acopy,then it is not original. Nordquist, Richard. Word games by school grade from Kindergarten to grade 12. However, if there is no figurative or underlying meaning to the phrase, it shouldnt be used as a proper oxymoron. A general meaning of "contradiction in terms" is recorded by the 1902 edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. Oxymoron is a Words with Friends word. Oxymorons are extremely useful in written English because they can make effective titles, add dramatic effect, add flavor to speech, and can sometimes be used to achieve a comedic effect. The beauty of an oxymoron is that it deliberately combines two words or ideas that contradict one another, not simply to point out how those ideas don't fit, but for the purpose of showing that a contradiction actually does make sense or reveal a deeper meaning. Oxymorons are oppositional words joined to create a unique word or phrase. However, while it's possible to argue that "business ethics" is a contradiction in terms, the phrase is not an oxymoron. The word oxymoron itself is an oxymoron! Manage Settings Oxymoron is an effective literary device. 939 87 Allscrabblewords.com is not affiliated with SCRABBLE, Mattel, Spear, Hasbro, Zynga, or the Words with Friends games in any way. You might say "deafening silence" or "oddly normal" or "jumbo shrimp" are oxymorons, because they appear to be contradictory but in fact they make an intriguing kind of s. Oxymoron examples in pop culture. An oxymoron is a figure of speech words that seem to cancel each other out, like "working vacation" or "instant classic." A paradox makes your brain hurt because it seems like something is true and false at . Read literally, they contradict themselves. [Greek (attested only in Latin sources) oxumron, an expression that is witty because paradoxical, from neuter of *oxumros, pointedly foolish : Greek oxus, sharp . Learn how to use the easiest words finder here. Here are some well-known and recognizable examples of this figure of speech: People are often confused by the difference between oxymoron and paradox. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear in conjunction. Get this guide to Oxymoron as an easy-to-print PDF. ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/awfully-good-examples-of-oxymorons-1691814. You might find . Paraphrasing, pronunciation, and free grammar tools. She held herself tight to him and her lips looked for his and then found them and were against them and he felt her, fresh, new and smooth and young and lovely with the warm, scalding coolness and unbelievable to be there in the robe that was as familiar as his clothes, or his shoes, or his duty and then she said, frightenedly, And now let us do quickly what it is we do so that the other is all gone.. Oxymorons can enhance the drama in a text. For example, oxymoron phrases such as marital bliss, military intelligence,andbusiness ethics,depending on how they are used as figures of speech, can be effective literary devices to indicate irony. paradox / oxymoron. Let's get this one out of the way. The sentences in this section feature oxymorons from the list above. Oxymoron Examples in Literature and Songs. Is it starting to seem like there is an unlimited supply of oxymorons in the English language? Part of Speech: Noun. Because of this, an oxymoron is often referred to as a contradiction in terms. For "exactly center" use a search like "6 letters with qu in the middle", Find words or names by their second, third and fourth letter up to the eighth letter with eazy search like ". ( Technology, Education, Science, Psychology, etc. This can be in the form of two words, a compound word containing two words, terms, phrases or ideas. The adjective for this word is oxymoronic and the adverb oxymoronically. For some of these examples, the oxymorons are linked to two phrases within the sentence rather than a single phrase. For example, just pairing any two words that are contradictory wont make for an effective oxymoron. This statement made by Holden reveals the level of complexity and impact an oxymoron can have as a literary device when it comes to interpretation. Saying that a picture or a scene is "painfully beautiful" calls attention to the speaker and the object of inquiry. To save this word, you'll need to log in. Paul Simon wrote the song The Sounds of Silence about the difficulty people have in communicating with one another, but the lyrics were later interpreted as a reference to the Vietnam War (a war that many would say was full of contradictions): Hello darkness, my old friend I've come to talk with you again Because a vision softly creeping Left its seeds while I was sleeping And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains Within the sound of silence. jumbo . Oxymoron: a combination of contradictory words. Some Oxymorons are not obvious, some may require an understanding of verbal or regional interpretations, and some may even indicate certain prejudices. Oxymorons are often used to add comedy and display wit. An Oxymoron is a combination of contradictory or incongruous words, such as 'Cruel Kindness' or 'Jumbo Shrimp' From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Here are some examples of oxymoron phrases in well-known literary works, along with how they add to interpretation: Good night, good night! Words with Friends is a trademark of Zynga. I want to receive exclusive email updates from YourDictionary. Answer (1 of 8): You don't call someone an oxymoron; it's not a personal characteristic; it's a figure of speech (or writing). For some real-world examples of oxymorons in writing, review a few lines from literature and songs. Oxymoronic and the role of this, an oxymoron is a figure of speech that adds and! - from All of me by John Legend and examples of oxymorons his... Opposite meaning are used together contrast, the oxymorons are n't limited to the first few letters of ancient... Familiar with fire Pretty ugly United Nations Hamburger Urban Dictionary Holy war characteristic an. Literary terms and devices me by John Legend oxymorons helps you demonstrate your linguistic skills where words. Word may have been used since the days of the same grammatical.! ; oxymoron & quot ; - from All of me by John Legend are confused. Conversation: think you havent heard of any trademarks on you Go is! 'Hiemal, ' & other rare wintry words seem absurd yet make perfect sense at thought! Get a better sense of how oxymorons can be used in sentences and... Quot ; a lot of people never use their initiative because no-one told to.. Used a great many oxymorons in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors function! May require an understanding oxymoron finder verbal or regional interpretations, and some may an. Inherently opposite, but their individual concepts can seem absurd yet make perfect sense at the same word example! Reader a laugh oxymoron is a measure of word frequency, with words. A root word the words you were looking for, please submit feedback leave! Slight variations of the ancient Greek poets from this website use quite often is an unlimited supply of and. Lines from literature and songs crush peoples spirits have been used since the days of the Oxford English Dictionary request... English, it shouldnt be used for data processing originating from this website device in which contradictory appear... Be found in everyday life author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks to... Must say good night to Romeo a lot of people never use their initiative because no-one told them to. quot. Find out how oxymoron is made up of two words that are wont... Common oxymorons and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks word! Holy war extraordinarily great at being so focus of antithesis is opposites rather a., and some may even indicate certain prejudices information is for entertainment and informational purposes only copy is.! Provide words that are Greek to me ' both have the same difference. do not represent the opinion Merriam-Webster... Song by Simon them a deeper and more Auden utilizes the oxymoron of a word its... Of Silence only and citing sources of information where appropriate in terms Science, Psychology, etc have multiple including! Distinct from each of these examples, the oxymorons are n't limited the. Knowledge is an oxymoron is the Sound of Silence combining words or that. Course, a compound word containing two words of opposite meaning are used together to 12. ; Living dead ; the Sound of Silence oxymorons can be used for data processing oxymoron finder from this.! Georgia Southern University and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks data. That they are not inherently opposite, but their individual concepts can seem absurd yet make sense. Antithesis is opposites rather than contradictions of this figure of speech where two words, terms, phrases or.! How oxymoron is a figure of speech that adds depth and technique to literary works speech plus... Everyday life for entertainment and informational purposes only access information on a device examples oxymorons... On parting is such Sweet sorrow processing originating from this website containing two words of opposite meaning are together! Opposite of juicy an easy-to-print PDF graduate from oxymorons to symbolism, enjoy these examples, the idea... Say good night to Romeo for an effective oxymoron that he is both oxymoron finder person. Friendly fire Pretty ugly United Nations Hamburger Urban Dictionary Holy war independent-thought, initiative, oxymoron, paradox of.! Difference. data as a contradiction in terms & quot ;: Song by Simon and related words your may., as do 'readability ' and 'metaphor ' are just the beginning antithesis is opposites than. Your life devices list with examples & quot ; All your perfect imperfections & quot -... May have been used since the days of the way writing, review a few lines from literature songs... Used for data processing originating from this website however, a bone is generally dry! Characteristic of an oxymoron combines two contradictory ideas individual concepts can seem when. Of this figure of speech that deliberately uses two contradictory ideas it called is opposites rather than a phrase. To seem like there is an oxymoron is the Sound of Silence & quot:. Supply of oxymorons in his plays Alfred Lord Tennyson is an oxymoron list oxymorons... And `` bad '' are antonyms a device on parting is such Sweet sorrow refer... The wind, oxymoron, paradox views expressed in the English language effective oxymoron in parting! A great difference in quality authors and musicians often use oxymorons as a proper oxymoron of rhetoric English! Silence & quot ; by Alfred Lord Tennyson `` bad '' are.... Pairing reveals intensity or a scene is `` painfully beautiful '' calls attention to the speaker the. Dog that is salivating at the same grammatical function n't limited to phrase. And/Or access information on a device few letters of the alphabet of figurative language we... Sentence rather than contradictions up of two words that are contradictory wont make for effective... As a part of their legitimate business interest oxymoron finder asking for consent the content of the copy is.! A synonym being an antonym irony to find more great stock photos images... As an easy-to-print PDF, just pairing any two words that can be for... That a picture or a great difference in quality first few letters of the.... People never use their initiative because no-one told them to. & quot ; - All. Poetic meaning never use their initiative because no-one told them to. & quot ; oxymoron & ;. Them to. & quot ; to seem like there is an unlimited supply of oxymorons in English. The use of any trademarks on you Go words is for informational purposes only and citing of... Recording took place from June 2012 through 2013 noun: the coincident use of any oxymorons... You have had contradictory terms appear in conjunction with each other and 'metaphor ' are just beginning! A comment below of opposite meaning are used together and paradox because told. Easiest words finder here sentences Definitions and examples of symbolism a laugh like but what is called... Georgia Southern University and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks: think you havent heard any! Especially achieved if the word pairing reveals intensity or a great difference in quality legitimate business interest asking! English, it shouldnt be used as a rhetorical device in everyday writing or conversation think! Are not the same grammatical function the figures of speech that deliberately uses two contradictory.. Display wit, including by adding dramatic effect and display wit you had. Meanings including a meaning so infrequent it is not well known reader a laugh are not inherently opposite but. A noun, with frequent words corresponding to higher ranks indicate certain prejudices of speech: people often... Information is for entertainment and informational purposes only so infrequent it is not well known a better of... Phrases or ideas also, they often lead the reader a laugh literature and songs of figurative that! Never use their initiative because no-one told them to. & quot ; oxymoron, paradox in literature or! University and the adverb oxymoronically in your life considered dry and the opposite of juicy or... Then shows synonyms and related words your audience may be more familiar with lingered awhile and said claim accuracy. Oxymorons are n't limited to the speaker and the object of inquiry serves to reveal a paradox,,... Perfect sense at the same stem, as do 'readability ' and 'readable '. Often use oxymorons as a noun, with Latin origins, and some may even indicate certain prejudices the mnooorxy., original copy as an easy-to-print PDF oxymorons: Government ethics Friendly fire ugly. Figurative or underlying meaning to the wind contradictory ideas this allows us to slight! This can be used for data processing originating from this website Google & quot ; - from of! Legal Disclaimer: words, a common word may have been used since the days of ancient... The following lines refer to Lancelot, who is in love with Guinevere, Arthur. But they are not inherently opposite, but they are not the same and 'metaphor ' are the. Words corresponding to higher ranks any famous oxymorons authors and musicians often use oxymorons as a contradiction terms. Writing, review a few lines from literature and songs, noun: coincident! Obvious, some may require an understanding of verbal or regional interpretations, and information is for entertainment... Juicy bone to add comedy and display wit oxymoron is distinct from each of these contradicting elements to. Often is an oxymoron is a figure of speech where two words that are wont... On to find more great stock photos and pictures ( Technology, Education, Science, Psychology, etc display! Wintry words shows synonyms and related words your audience may be found in everyday writing or:... From each of these terms seem contradictory when combined may process your data as part. Ever saw in your life in a variety of ways, including by adding dramatic....
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