as in dichotomy
someone or something with qualities or features that seem to conflict with one another
the paradox of fighting a war for peace
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Recent Examples of paradox
The paradox of trade power is that success in a trading relationship—as indicated by one state having a trade surplus with another—is a source of vulnerability.
—
Robert O. Keohane, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2025
Business owners and employees alike are living through a paradox.
—Duane Tursi, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Discounting any of the various potential paradoxes and possible multiversal implications of the deed, Jeb Bush leapt headlong into this hypothetical (take your pick) DeLorean, phone booth, Tardis, or Wellsian steampunk contraption with a knife in hand.
—Jack Butler, National Review, 8 June 2025
However, the timing reveals a troubling paradox: while the U.S. swiftly punishes Sudan, Syria, another regime guilty of repeatedly using chemical weapons, is being quietly readmitted into the global community, effectively free from lasting consequences.
—Zoltan Istvan, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for paradox
Robert O. Keohane, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2025
Business owners and employees alike are living through a paradox.
—Duane Tursi, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Discounting any of the various potential paradoxes and possible multiversal implications of the deed, Jeb Bush leapt headlong into this hypothetical (take your pick) DeLorean, phone booth, Tardis, or Wellsian steampunk contraption with a knife in hand.
—Jack Butler, National Review, 8 June 2025
However, the timing reveals a troubling paradox: while the U.S. swiftly punishes Sudan, Syria, another regime guilty of repeatedly using chemical weapons, is being quietly readmitted into the global community, effectively free from lasting consequences.
—Zoltan Istvan, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for paradox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paradox
Noun
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The vivifying dichotomy is even announced in advance.—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
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The funding cut, Turner says, highlights a dichotomy between the Trump Administration’s aim to leave disaster response to communities—without providing them with the tools to respond.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
16 June 2025
Noun
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With the entire dataset open to the public, the team hopes the fresh eyes, as well as graduate and undergraduate astronomers, will uncover something new and unlock clues about cosmic mysteries like dark matter and the physics of the early universe.—
Jay Kakade
June 22,
New Atlas,
22 June 2025
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But two new studies — which researchers say are among the biggest paleoanthropology papers of the year — detail how scientists were able to extract genetic material from the fossil and help unravel this biological mystery.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
21 June 2025
Noun
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And this one provision, which is highly punitive and discriminatory towards companies who are guilty of nothing more than deciding to create opportunities here in the United States, is in direct contradiction to the president's vision.—
Tax Notes Staff,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
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By ordering these strikes, Trump acted without congressional approval and in contradiction to his campaign promise to avoid the kind of disasters experienced in Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
22 June 2025
Noun
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But Bryan was widely seen as suffering a humiliating defeat in public opinion, with his sputtering attempts to explain the Bible’s fanciful miracles and enigmas.—
Peter Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2025
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Bacon’s Castle was originally built by Arthur Allen, who remains something of an enigma to historians, according to the National Park Service.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2025
Noun
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Already concerned about the incongruity of having a comic yukking it up with what was happening with the AP and other outlets, the WHCA scrapped her.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2025
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Kirby’s incongruity is terrifying, so said someone much wiser than me.—
Mitch Wallace,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paradox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paradox. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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