WordValecontradiction
a statement opposing another
In more detail
1. (noun) a situation in which two statements or ideas are opposed to each other and cannot both be true
2. (noun) a person or thing that seems to have opposite qualities at the same time
Examples
- There is a contradiction between what he said yesterday and what he said today.
- She is a contradiction—she says she hates parties but goes to every one.
How to use contradiction
Contradiction refers to a logical or factual clash between two opposing statements or qualities that cannot coexist. It is commonly used in arguments, analysis, and discussions of inconsistency. The term is more formal and precise than casual complaint about disagreement, and often implies a fundamental incompatibility rather than mere difference.
Common phrases
- glaring contradiction
- apparent contradiction
- in contradiction with
- a contradiction in terms
- resolve a contradiction
Synonyms
inconsistency · paradox · incompatibility · conflict · incongruity
Opposites
agreement · consistency · harmony
Word family
contradict (verb) · contradictory (adjective) · contradictiously (adverb)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use 'contradiction' when they mean simple disagreement or argument; contradiction specifically means a logical impossibility of both things being true simultaneously, not just a conflict of opinions.
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