as in paradox
someone or something with qualities or features that seem to conflict with one another
her outfit is a sartorial dichotomy: an elegant gown and ratty old tennis shoes
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Recent Examples of dichotomy
That’s a rich dichotomy, and whenever the narrative voice drills into the specificity of Ruth’s anxious imagination, the reader is rewarded.
—
Hannah Gold, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2025
That dichotomy would sound overly simplistic to Ruth’s ears.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
Wolf had no interest in being a character in his own film, but the subject-director dichotomy that was playing out on camera would become key to understanding Reubens’ complexities.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2025
There’s a strange dichotomy happening in men’s grooming.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dichotomy
Hannah Gold, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2025
That dichotomy would sound overly simplistic to Ruth’s ears.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2025
Wolf had no interest in being a character in his own film, but the subject-director dichotomy that was playing out on camera would become key to understanding Reubens’ complexities.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2025
There’s a strange dichotomy happening in men’s grooming.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dichotomy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dichotomy
paradox
Noun
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This gets to the heart of a paradox in American politics.—
John J. Donohue,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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This paradox—seeing the system as rigged but loath to fall into the NPC pit—is emerging as a defining Gen Z quality.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dichotomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dichotomy. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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