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.[1][2] A general meaning of «contradiction in terms» is recorded by the 1902 edition of the Oxford English Dictionary.[3]
Oxymorons are acutely silly words that communicate contradiction.
The term oxymoron is first recorded as Latinized Greek oxymōrum, in Maurus Servius Honoratus (c. AD 400);[4] it is derived from the Greek word ὀξύς oksús «sharp, keen, pointed»[5] and μωρός mōros «dull, stupid, foolish»;[6] as it were, «sharp-dull», «keenly stupid», or «pointedly foolish».[7] The word oxymoron is autological, i.e. it is itself an example of an oxymoron. The Greek compound word ὀξύμωρον oksýmōron, which would correspond to the Latin formation, does not seem to appear in any known Ancient Greek works prior to the formation of the Latin term.[8]
Types and examplesEdit
Oxymorons in the narrow sense are a rhetorical device used deliberately by the speaker, and intended to be understood as such by the listener.
In a more extended sense, the term «oxymoron» has also been applied to inadvertent or incidental contradictions, as in the case of «dead metaphors» («barely clothed» or «terribly good»). Lederer (1990), in the spirit of «recreational linguistics», goes as far as to construct «logological oxymorons»[jargon] such as reading the word nook composed of «no» and «ok» or the surname Noyes as composed of «no» plus «yes», or far-fetched punning such as «divorce court», «U.S. Army Intelligence» or «press release».[9]
There are a number of single-word oxymorons built from «dependent morphemes»[9] (i.e. no longer a productive compound in English, but loaned as a compound from a different language), as with pre-posterous (lit. «with the hinder part before», compare hysteron proteron, «upside-down», «head over heels», «ass-backwards» etc.)[10] or sopho-more (an artificial Greek compound, lit. «wise-foolish»).
The most common form of oxymoron involves an adjective–noun combination of two words, but they can also be devised in the meaning of sentences or phrases.
One classic example of the use of oxymorons in English literature can be found in this example from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, where Romeo strings together thirteen in a row:
O brawling love! O loving hate!
O anything of nothing first create!
O heavy lightness, serious vanity!
Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms!
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!
Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!
This love feel I, that feel no love in this.[11]
Other examples from English-language literature include:
«hateful good» (Chaucer, translating odibile bonum)[12]
«proud humility» (Spenser),[13]
«darkness visible» (Milton),
«beggarly riches» (John Donne),[14]
«damn with faint praise» (Pope),[15]
«expressive silence» (Thomson, echoing Cicero’s Latin: cum tacent clamant, lit. ‘when they are silent, they cry out’),
«melancholy merriment» (Byron),
«faith unfaithful», «falsely true» (Tennyson),[16]
«conventionally unconventional», «tortuous spontaneity» (Henry James)[17]
«delighted sorrow», «loyal treachery», «scalding coolness» (Hemingway).[18]
In literary contexts, the author does not usually signal the use of an oxymoron, but in rhetorical usage, it has become common practice to advertise the use of an oxymoron explicitly to clarify the argument, as in:
- «Voltaire […] we might call, by an oxymoron which has plenty of truth in it, an ‘Epicurean pessimist.'» (Quarterly Review vol. 170 (1890), p. 289)
In this example, «Epicurean pessimist» would be recognized as an oxymoron in any case, as the core tenet of Epicureanism is equanimity (which would preclude any sort of pessimist outlook). However, the explicit advertisement of the use of oxymorons opened up a sliding scale of less than obvious construction, ending in the «opinion oxymorons» such as «business ethics».
J. R. R. Tolkien interpreted his own surname as derived from the Low German equivalent of dull-keen (High German toll-kühn) which would be a literal equivalent of Greek oxy-moron.[19]
«Comical oxymoron»Edit
«Comical oxymoron» is a term for the claim, for comical effect, that a certain phrase or expression is an oxymoron (called «opinion oxymorons» by Lederer (1990)[9]).
The humour derives from implying that an assumption (which might otherwise be expected to be controversial or at least non-evident) is so obvious as to be part of the lexicon.
An example of such a «comical oxymoron» is «educational television»: the humour derives entirely from the claim that it is an oxymoron by the implication that «television» is so trivial as to be inherently incompatible with «education».[20]
In a 2009 article called «Daredevil», Garry Wills accused William F. Buckley of popularising this trend, based on the success of the latter’s claim that «an intelligent liberal is an oxymoron.»[21]
Examples popularized by comedian George Carlin in 1975 include «military intelligence» (a play on the lexical meanings of the term «intelligence», implying that «military» inherently excludes the presence of «intelligence») and «business ethics» (similarly implying that the mutual exclusion of the two terms is evident or commonly understood rather than the partisan anti-corporate position).[22]
Similarly, the term «civil war» is sometimes jokingly referred to as an «oxymoron» (punning on the lexical meanings of the word «civil»).[23]
Other examples include «honest politician», «act naturally», «affordable caviar» (1993),[24] «happily married» and «Microsoft Works» (2000).[25]
Antonym pairsEdit
Listing of antonyms, such as «good and evil», «male and female», «great and small», etc., does not create oxymorons, as it is not implied that any given object has the two opposing properties simultaneously.
In some languages, it is not necessary to place a conjunction like and between the two antonyms; such compounds (not necessarily of antonyms) are known as dvandvas (a term taken from Sanskrit grammar).
For example, in Chinese, compounds like 男女 (man and woman, male and female, gender), 陰陽 (yin and yang), 善惡 (good and evil, morality) are used to indicate couples, ranges, or the trait that these are extremes of.
The Italian pianoforte or fortepiano is an example from a Western language; the term is short for gravicembalo col piano e forte, as it were «harpiscord with a range of different volumes», implying that it is possible to play both soft and loud (as well as intermediate) notes, not that the sound produced is somehow simultaneously «soft and loud».
See alsoEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oxymoron.
- Auto-antonym
- Colorless green ideas sleep furiously
- Meinong’s jungle
- Paradox
- Performative contradiction
- Principle of contradiction
- Self-refuting idea
- Tautology (rhetoric)
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879). «A Latin Dictionary». Oxford: Clarendon Press. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
acutely silly: oxymora verba, expressions which at first sight appear absurd, but which contain a concealed point; so especially of such apparently contradictory assertions as: cum tacent clamant, etc.
- ^ Jebb, Sir Richard C. (1900). «Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus«. Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments, with critical notes, commentary, and translation in English prose. Part III: The Antigone. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 567.
The phrase is an ‘ὀξύμωρον’ (a paradox with a point).
- ^ «A figure of speech in which a pair of opposed or markedly contradictory terms are placed in conjunction for emphasis» OED
- ^ Honoratus on Aeneid 7.295, num capti potuere capi (in the voice of Juno) «Could captured slaves not be enslaved again?» (William 1910): capti potuere capi, cum felle dictum est: nam si hoc removeas, erit oxymorum. «the captured can be captured: said with bitterness, for if you were to remove that, it would be oxymorum.» see H. Klingenberg in Birkmann et al. (ed.), FS Werner, de Gruyter (1997), p. 143.
- ^ ὀξύς in Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, revised and augmented throughout by Jones, Sir Henry Stuart, with the assistance of McKenzie, Roderick. Oxford: Clarendon Press. In the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
- ^ μωρός in Liddell and Scott. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
- ^ ὀξύμωρος in Liddell and Scott. Retrieved 2013-02-26. «Pointedly foolish: a witty saying, the more pointed from being paradoxical or seemingly absurd.»
- ^ «oxymoron |accessdate 26 February 2013». Oxford English Dictionary.
- ^ a b c Richard Lederer, «Oxymoronology» in Word Ways: The Journal of Recreational Linguistics (1990), online version: fun-with-words.com.
- ^ «closely related to hysteron proteron, it shouldn’t be ass backward, which is the proper arrangement of one’s anatomy, to describe things all turned around. For that state of disarray the expression should be ass frontward.»
Richard Lederer, Amazing Words (2012), p. 107. - ^ Shakespeare, William. «Act 1, Scene 1». Romeo and Juliet.
- ^ «Poverte is hate[fu]l good», glossed Secundus philosophus: paupertas odibile bonum; the saying is recorded by Vincent of Beauvais as attributed to Secundus the Silent (also referenced in Piers Plowman).
Walter William Skeat (ed.), Notes on the Canterbury Tales (Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer vol. 5, 1894), p. 321. - ^ Epithalamion (1595), of feminine virtue, echoed by Milton as «modest pride». Joshua Scodel, Excess and the Mean in Early Modern English Literature (2009), p. 267.
- ^ Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, (1624)
- ^ Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot (1734)
- ^ Idylls of the King: «And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true.»
- ^ The Lesson of the Master (1888)
- ^ Geneviève Hily-Mane
, Le style de Ernest Hemingway: la plume et le masque (1983), p. 169. - ^ see e.g. Adam Roberts, ^The Riddles of The Hobbit (2013), p. 164f; J.R. Holmes in J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia (2007), p. 53. It has been suggested that the actual etymology of the Tolkien surname is more likely from the village of Tolkynen in Rastenburg, East Prussia. M. Mechow, Deutsche Familiennamen preussischer Herkunft (1994), p. 99.
- ^ «Hosted for 33 years by the conservative intellectual William F. Buckley Jr., the show [Firing Line taped its final installment [… in 1999.] The show was spawned in the earnest mid-’60s, before popular culture swallowed up the middlebrow and ‘educational TV’ became a comical oxymoron.» Time Volume 154, Issues 18-27 (1999), p. 126.
- ^ According to Wills, Buckley has «poisoned the general currency» of the word oxymoron by using it as just a «fancier word for ‘contradiction'», when he said that «an intelligent liberal is an oxymoron». Wills argues that use of the term «oxymoron» should remain reserved for the conscious use of contradiction to express something that is «surprisingly true». «Wills watching by Michael McDonald». The New Criterion. Retrieved 27 March 2012. ««Daredevil» — Garry Wills». The Atlantic. 1 July 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2012. However, the usage of «oxymoron» for «contradiction» is recorded by the OED from the year 1902 onward.
- ^ «Saturday Night Live transcripts.» Season 1, Episode 1. 11 October 1975. http://snltranscripts.jt.org/75/75acarlin2.phtml.
- ^ Discussed by L. Coltheart in Moira Gatens, Alison Mackinnon (eds.), Gender and Institutions: Welfare, Work and Citizenship (1998), p. 131, but already alluded to in 1939 by John Dover Wilson in his edition of William Shakespeare’s King Richard II (p. 193), in reference to the line The King of Heaven forbid our lord the king / Should so with civil and uncivil arms Be rushed upon! :»A quibbling oxymoron: ‘civil’ refers to civil war; ‘uncivil’ = barbarous».
- ^ «This opened up an oxymoron too dreadful to contemplate: affordable caviar» (The Guardian, 1993).
- ^ Lisa Marie Meier, A Treasury of Email Humor, Volume 1 (2000), p. 45.
- Shen, Yeshayahu (1987). «On the structure and understanding of poetic oxymoron». Poetics Today. 8 (1): 105–122. doi:10.2307/1773004. JSTOR 1773004.
External linksEdit
Look up oxymoron in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- oxymoronlist.com
- Oxymoron Examples in Literature
Definition of Oxymoron
Oxymoron is a figure of speech pairing two words together that are opposing and/or contradictory. This combination of contrary or antithetical words is also known in conversation as a contradiction in terms. As a literary device, oxymoron has the effect of creating an impression, enhancing a concept, and even entertaining the reader.
The phrase original copy is a good illustration of an oxymoron. This is a pairing of opposing words that contradict each other. If something is original, then it is not a copy. In turn, if something is a copy, then it is not original. Yet, original copy as an oxymoron commonly and figuratively means that the content of the copy is original.
Common Examples of Oxymoron
Here are some examples of oxymoron that may be found in everyday expression:
- Only choice
- Same difference
- Friendly fire
- Virtual reality
- Controlled chaos
- Freezer burn
- Silent scream
- Terribly good
- Wise fool
- Close distance
- Stiff drink
- Black light
- Clearly confused
- Genuine fake
- Living history
- Exact estimate
- Quiet roar
- Student teacher
- Passive aggressive
- Smaller half
- Magical realism
- Loyal opponent
- Random Order
- Live recording
- Jumbo shrimp
Usage of Oxymoron in Speech or Writing
Here are some examples of oxymoron that may be found in everyday writing or conversation:
- My sister and I had a friendly fight over the lipstick.
- I think the professor stated his unbiased opinion regarding the student response.
- You look awfully pretty in that coat.
- Sarah ate the whole piece of pie.
- The carpenters left the bench completely unfinished.
- The new kittens enjoyed being Alone together.
- True fiction is my favorite genre to read.
- It is considered a false truth that a broken mirror means bad luck.
- Joe considers himself to be a ladies’ man when he’s at a club.
- Jenny thinks of her garage as an organized mess.
Famous Oxymorons
Think you haven’t heard of any famous oxymorons? Here are some well-known and recognizable examples of this figure of speech:
Titles
- Little Bighorn Battlefield (national monument in Montana)
- “True Lies” (American film)
- “CatDog” (American animated television series)
- “Pretty Ugly” (book by Kirker Butler)
- “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)
- “Steel Magnolias” (American stage play by Robert Harling)
Quotes
- “You can’t have more types of fake news than real news.” (Elon Musk)
- “I am a deeply superficial person.” (Andy Warhol)
- “I’m nobody! Who are you? Are you – Nobody – too?” (Emily Dickinson)
- “Cruel kindness drew me near and held me close” (InsideOut song lyric)
- “Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot.” (Oscar Wilde)
- “… this was fancy terrible.” (Dorothy Parker)
- “Vidia was complicated, two fairies in one, a loyal traitor.” (Gail Carson Levine)
Difference Between Oxymoron and Paradox
People are often confused by the difference between oxymoron and paradox. Paradox is a literary device in which a statement or group of statements features initially contrasting ideas. However, with applied thought, paradoxes make sense. Also, they often lead the reader to an underlying truth. One example of a paradox is the following conflicting idea. The best way to make money is to spend money.
Oxymoron is also a literary device, but is considered a “condensed” paradox. This means that oxymoron is a figure of speech that includes just a couple of contradictory words that are paired together rather than a full statement of ideas. Oxymoron phrases can be figuratively true, but not literally true.
Writing Oxymoron
Overall, as a literary device, oxymoron functions as a means of getting the reader’s attention through the pairing of opposing or contradictory words. Reading these words together will often cause a reader to pause and think about what the writer is trying to convey. These figures of speech can enhance a reader’s understanding of a concept, interpretation of a phrase, or enjoyment of language.
Here are instances in which it’s effective to use oxymoron in writing:
Demonstrate Linguistic Skill
Since most people don’t use oxymoron very often when speaking, it does take linguistic skill to create one that is successful. For example, just pairing any two words that are contradictory won’t make for an effective oxymoron. The phrase daily night certainly features contrary wording. However, if there is no figurative or underlying meaning to the phrase, it shouldn’t be used as a proper oxymoron. Instead, it takes linguistic skill in knowing which words, though opposing, will work together to have an effect on the reader.
One example of a skillful oxymoron is real fake. This figure of speech is clever in that utilizing the word “real” to describe something that is “fake” actually lends a sense of truth and authenticity to something that is, by nature, untrue and inauthentic. Therefore, the linguistic skill demonstrated in this oxymoron is a layered. Real fake is a combination of contradictory terms. However, the terms are also complementary as a pair.
Enhance Drama
Oxymoron can enhance drama in writing. This is especially achieved if the word pairing reveals intensity or a great difference in quality. For example, if a character receives a painful smile, this creates a significant dramatic effect. Smiles are rarely associated with pain. Therefore, the reader is left in some suspense to wonder what events or feelings would result in such a response received by the character.
However, it’s important that writers don’t overuse oxymoron as a literary device. Too many uses of oxymoron can be either distracting or tedious for the reader. Their dramatic effect is much more powerful with sparing use.
Create Humor
Oxymoron can be an excellent tool in creating humor for a reader. For example, if a character is described as a man child, this oxymoron calls up a humorous image of a child that looks like a man or vice-versa. 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.
Indicate Irony
Oxymoron can also serve as a means of elevated language when used to express a sense of irony. For example, oxymoron phrases such as marital bliss, military intelligence, and business ethics, depending on how they are used as figures of speech, can be effective literary devices to indicate irony. These word pairings are not inherently opposite, but their individual concepts can seem contradictory when combined.
Examples of Oxymoron in Literature
Oxymoron is an effective literary device. Here are some examples of oxymoron phrases in well-known literary works, along with how they add to interpretation:
Example #1: Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare)
Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night till it be morrow.
In perhaps the most well-known oxymoron in literature, Juliet describes her feelings about Romeo leaving her presence as “sweet sorrow.” Shakespeare’s use of oxymoron indicates that Juliet’s “sorrow” and sadness at the thought that Romeo must part from her is also “sweet” and pleasant. She feels sadness knowing she must say good night to Romeo. However, she lovingly anticipates seeing him again which is a pleasant feeling.
Example #2: Don Juan (George Gordon, Lord Byron)
It is an awful topic–but ‘t is not
My cue for any time to be terrific:
For checker’d as is seen our human lot
With good, and bad, and worse, alike prolific
Of melancholy merriment, to quote
Too much of one sort would be soporific;–
Without, or with, offence to friends or foes,
I sketch your world exactly as it goes.
In this poem, Lord Byron uses the oxymoron “melancholy merriment” to describe the feelings and connections between sadness and joy. This oxymoron is symbolic of the human condition as reflected in the poet’s mention of “our human lot.” In addition, this oxymoron supports and complements the balance of oppositions featured in the rest of the poem’s structure, such as good and bad, without or with, and friends or foes.
Example #3: Funeral Blues (W.H. Auden)
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
In this poem, Auden utilizes the oxymoron “juicy bone.” Of course, a bone is generally considered dry and the opposite of juicy. However, a bone may seem juicy to a dog that is salivating at the thought of chewing it. Also, this oxymoron is ironic in the context of a poem in which a funeral is the subject. The “juicy bone” is a contrast in its own phrasing, as well as a contrasting image with the coffin and the implied corpse’s bones inside.
Example #4: The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life.
Salinger uses an oxymoron in this quote by Holden Caulfield, the narrator of the novel. The phrase “terrific liar” pairs two words that have opposing connotations. “Terrific” has positive connotations, as in wonderful or extraordinarily great. However, “liar” has negative connotations, as in someone who is untruthful or deceptive. Together, these words indicate that Holden takes pride in how adept he is at lying–a behavior that is generally associated with indignity.
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. Through the phrase “terrific liar,” Holden is admitting that he is both a deceptive person and that he’s extraordinarily great at being so. Therefore, Salinger cleverly calls into question Holden’s reliability as a narrator through just this figure of speech. If Holden’s claim is that he is wonderful at being an untruthful person, then he casts doubt as to the truth of his own statement to the reader about being a terrific liar as well.
: a combination of contradictory or incongruous words (such as cruel kindness)
broadly
: something (such as a concept) that is made up of contradictory or incongruous elements
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a person be an oxymoron?
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. We must also inform you that an oxymoron and a moron have little in common except that both words come from the Greek word for «foolish» (mōros).
What is the difference between oxymoron and paradox?
An oxymoron is a self-contradicting word or group of words (as in Shakespeare’s line from Romeo and Juliet, «Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!»). A paradox is a statement or argument that seems to be contradictory or to go against common sense, but that is yet perhaps still true—for example, «less is more.»
Is oxymoronic a word?
Yes. Oxymoronic is the adjectival form of oxymoron. Oxymoronically is the adverbial form of the word. There is, we regret to inform you, no commonly used verb form of the word.
Example Sentences
The phrase «Broadway rock musical» is an oxymoron. Broadway doesn’t have the nerve to let the really hard stuff in the house.
—
Mark Coleman, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 1996/ 9 Jan. 1997
Taken to its logical conclusion, this emphasis on the fragmentation of the body politic makes postmodern feminism an oxymoron: feminism and virtually all our laws against sex discrimination reflect the presumption that women do in fact constitute a political category.
—Wendy Kaminer, Atlantic, October 1993
He calls himself a «bleeding-heart conservative,» and that oxymoron sums up the unique [Jack F.] Kemp role in the Bush Administration: the apostle of free enterprise who is the ambassador to the poor.
—William Safire, New York Times Magazine, 25 Mar. 1990
As the war went on, «precision bombing» became a comical oxymoron relished by bomber crews with a sense of black humor.
—Paul Fussell, Wartime, 1989
The phrase “cruel kindness” is an oxymoron.
Recent Examples on the Web
Loafers are inherently an oxymoron.
—Gaby Keiderling, Harper’s BAZAAR, 19 Jan. 2023
Online privacy is an oxymoron.
—Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 7 July 2022
Ashley Chandrasinghe is a player to watch in the future — and that’s not an oxymoron.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
The idea that working with a competitor can be beneficial sounds like an oxymoron, but history has shown that working collaboratively moves an industry toward less expensive, more responsive and more flexible solutions.
—Christine Boles, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023
While putting those two words together is seemingly an oxymoron, Crowder has been making that …
—Rodney Ho, ajc, 25 Jan. 2023
Linen napkins may seem like an oxymoron but these are more for fashion than function.
—Jessica Cherner, House Beautiful, 20 Jan. 2023
The riff-laden metal song may be the best-sounding Nickelback song in years — and no, that is not an oxymoron!
—Vulture, 7 Oct. 2022
For many parents, teenager communication skills is an oxymoron.
—John Benson, cleveland, 21 Dec. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘oxymoron.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Late Greek oxymōron, from neuter of oxymōros pointedly foolish, from Greek oxys sharp, keen + mōros foolish
First Known Use
1657, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of oxymoron was
in 1657
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Cite this Entry
“Oxymoron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oxymoron. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.
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Oxymorons—What Are They and What Are Their Functions?
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An oxymoron is a rhetorical device, but what exactly does it mean and what purpose does it serve? We’ll go over this and provide examples.
Quick Summary of Oxymorons
- An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory words are put side by side to form a phrase. Examples include jumbo shrimp, organized mess, and crash landing.
- Oxymorons are used for multiple reasons, whether it be to add a dramatic effect, illustrate a rhetorical point, make an audience ponder, or make them laugh.
What Are Oxymorons?
Think of oxymorons (the less common plural is oxymora) as two opposite words put together. That’s not the most technical definition, but that’s exactly what they are. They’re a figure of speech in which two contradictory words are juxtaposed, like original copy. On their own, original and copy can be considered antonyms (words with opposite meanings). However, it’s not uncommon to hear this oxymoron in everyday speech.
Do you have the original copy of the contract?
Below, we’ll go over why oxymorons are used and provide examples.
Oxymorons—What Are Their Functions?
As a rhetorical device, oxymorons can serve a few different functions. Oxymorons can:
1. Add a dramatic effect
An oxymoron forces an audience to think and also helps readers better visualize what the writer is writing about. For example, deafening silence is an oxymoron because how can silence be deafening? However, when you read this oxymoron, you might imagine a silence so striking that it leaves you in awe or hyper-aware of it.
2. Add humor and playfulness
Oxymorons can present clever or funny ideas. For example, William F. Buckley popularized comical oxymorons when he said, “an intelligent liberal is an oxymoron.” Some people also jokingly claim that “happily married” and “honest politicians” are oxymorons.
3. Add irony
Some oxymorons at first don’t seem to be an oxymoron at all. But then when you break down the meaning of the words, you’ll see that they are, in fact, contradictory terms. One example of this type of oxymoron is civil war because civil as an adjective can also mean “courteous and polite” (which are things war cannot be).
Oxymoron List—Examples of This Device
Some oxymorons have become a part of our everyday vocabulary. So much so, that we don’t even notice they’re oxymorons. A few examples are:
- act naturally
- accurate estimate
- awfully good
- only option
- clearly confused
- found missing
- good grief
- humane slaughter
- icy hot
- paper towel
- pretty ugly
- seriously funny
- unbiased opinion
- calculated risk
- final draft
- natural makeup
- same difference
- student teacher
- terribly nice
- virtual reality
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Oxymoron: Definition, Types & Examples
Oxymoron is one of the few figures of speech that deals with contradictions of sense and meaning. In literature, oxymorons are used to imply the contractions in life that the standard words fail to accommodate due to the notions established on pure binaries.
What is Oxymoron?
Oxymoron is a figure of speech that is mostly used in literary language to create uncanny contrast between contradictory terms by putting them side by side.
The word “Oxymoron” is composed of two Greek words, “oxys” meaning sharp or keen and “moros” meaning dull, stupid or foolish, having completely contradictory meanings. In that sense, the term itself is oxymoronic in nature.
Types of Oxymorons
Oxymorons can be categorized into different types based on various factors. Depending on the circumstance that the oxymorons are used, they can be categorized as natural, literary, punning, humorous, accidental and deliberate oxymorons. Based on how many words make the oxymoron, they can be divided into single-word and double-word categories.
Single-word Oxymoron
In these oxymorons, two opposite or contrasting ideas are conjugated inside a single word.
Dependent Morphemes
These sets of oxymorons are made out of two morphemes (the smallest unit in language) that construct a single word. The morphemes are dependent on one another to convey the full meaning. i.e. Fortepiano (that is the formal name of the piano; “piano” means soft and “forte” means loud), preposterous (it means to be devoid of reason; “pre” is something before the start and “post” means after the end of something), superette (small supermarket; “super” means bigger or better and the suffix, “-ette” indicates small) etc.
Independent Morphemes
These single-word oxymorons can be split into two morphemes that carry contradictory meanings but sit together to represent a combination of both concepts no matter how distinct. The two morphemes in these oxymorons do not depend on one another to be complete. They individually make complete sense and join together to create a more refined meaning as figures of speech. i.e. Spendthrift (someone who spends loads; «spend» is to buy stuff with money and «thrift’ means to not be wasteful), bridegroom (the guy getting married; «bride» is the wife and «groom» is the husband at their wedding), bittersweet (sweet but with a bitter aftertaste; «bitter» is a sharp pungent taste or smell and «sweet» is a soft pleasant taste or smell) etc.
Double-word Oxymoron
Any oxymoron that is not a single-word oxymoron is most certainly a double-word one since an oxymoron is about two contradictory ideas. These oxymorons consist of two completely opposite words standing separate from one another and emitting a deeper meaning when considered as one unit. i.e. industrial park, open secret, recorded live etc.
Example of Oxymorons
- Compound Word Oxymorons: Frenemy, love-hate, sophomore, oxymoron, pianoforte etc.
- Adjective + Noun Oxymorons: Controlled chaos, fine mess, deafening silence, peaceful war, heavy lightness etc.
- Adverb + Adjective Oxymorons: Strangely familiar, perfectly imperfect, painfully beautiful, definitely undecided etc.
- Phrasal Oxymoron: Act naturally, agree to disagree, kill with kindness, make haste slowly etc.
- Dead Metaphors: Awful(ly) good, barely clothed, hardly easy, damn(ed) good etc.
- Doublespeak Oxymorons: Real counterfeit, mandatory option, virtually spotless etc.