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.

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.

An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms or ideas are intentionally paired in order to make a point—particularly to reveal a deeper or hidden truth. The most recognizable …

Definition, usage, and list of oxymoron examples. Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two opposite words are joined to create an effect.

Add to word list grammar a phrase or statement that seems to say two opposite things, as in " jumbo shrimp " and " agree to disagree " (Definition of oxymoron from the Cambridge Academic Content …

OXYMORON definition: a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in “cruel kindness” or “to make haste slowly.” See examples of oxymoron …

Mar 11, 2025 · An oxymoron can be classified as a figure of speech and a literary device. As a figure of speech, an oxymoron uses contradictory terms to create a specific effect in language. As a literary …

Definition of oxymoron noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

As this origin suggests, oxymoron is itself an oxymoron; it is a rhetorical term that describes words or phrases that, when placed together, create paradoxes or contradictions.

If you describe a phrase as an oxymoron, you mean that what it refers to combines two opposite qualities or ideas and therefore seems impossible.