Dictionary
contradiction
contradiction
noun con·tra·dic·tion \ˌkän-trə-ˈdik-shən\
: the act of saying something that is opposite or very different in meaning to something else
: a difference or disagreement between two things which means that both cannot be true
Full Definition of CONTRADICTION
1
: act or an instance of contradicting
2
a : a proposition, statement, or phrase that asserts or implies both the truth and falsity of something b : a statement or phrase whose parts contradict each other <a round square is a contradiction in terms>
3
a : logical incongruity b : a situation in which inherent factors, actions, or propositions are inconsistent or contrary to one another
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Examples of CONTRADICTION
- No one was surprised by the defendant's contradiction of the plaintiff's accusations.
- Her rebuttal contained many contradictions to my arguments.
- There have been some contradictions in his statements.
- There is a contradiction between what he said yesterday and what he said today.
- Her statements are mired in contradiction.
- What he said yesterday is in direct contradiction to what he said today.
First Known Use of CONTRADICTION
14th century
Related to CONTRADICTION
- Synonyms
- dichotomy, incongruity, paradox
- Antonyms
- acknowledgment (or acknowledgement), admission, avowal, confirmation
Other Logic Terms
Rhymes with CONTRADICTION
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