paradox

noun

ˈper-ə-ˌdäks How to pronounce paradox (audio)
Definition of paradoxnext
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of paradox This paradox is in no small part due to the way it is diagnosed. — Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 5 Aug. 2026 Sanchez, the woman at the center of the conversation, is also kind of a paradox. — Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 5 Aug. 2026 This apparent paradox is part of what drew Dudley Lamming, co-author of the new review and a researcher of aging, to study protein in the diet and its effects on health. — Dominique Mosbergen, Time, 3 Aug. 2026 My son, Gio, born on Bourdain’s 44th birthday—June 25, 2000, two weeks after Kitchen Confidential hit the New York Times best-seller list—captured this paradox hilariously one evening. — Karen Rinaldi, Air Mail, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for paradox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paradox
  1. dichotomy
  2. mystery
  3. contradiction
  4. enigma
  5. incongruity
Noun
  • Lanterns does finally get to a more sophisticated place midway through the season, casting new shades of meaning on its John-Hal dichotomy through secondary characters, their varied relationships with fear, and the passage of time.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The duo riffs off this dichotomy with the alarming imagery that accompanies The Precariat, taking listeners on a journey through the underbelly of America.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of dichotomy
Noun
  • The mystery at receiver is which inexperienced player will crack the rotation first after Greathouse, Jordan Faison and Mylan Graham.
    — Pete Sampson, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Now, persistent drought has again driven Lake Mead’s water levels to a new historic low this month, drawing back hundreds of miles of shoreline along the Nevada-Arizona border — and more mysteries have already started to surface.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of mystery
Noun
  • That gap between intention and actual exposure is not a contradiction.
    — Khalifa Aldhaheri, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • But did the festivities accommodate the nation’s contradictions?
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of contradiction
Noun
  • Rafa is a kind of enigma, an international sports figure who’s massively well liked and well known across the globe, but who has maintained an inner private life that is very authentically Spanish.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Russell Westbrook was an NBA enigma, right up to the very end.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of enigma
Noun
  • The passing of 30 years has only enhanced the appeal of the group’s Nashville detour, shifting attention from the incongruity of Ween cutting a country record to the joyous chemistry between these old pros and young punks.
    — Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Irony involves incongruity, while tragicomedy is about possible congruity—not mutual erasure but the capacity for the tragic and comic to coexist.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
Definition of incongruity

Browse Nearby Words

paradisiacal
paradox
paradoxes
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Cite this Entry

“Paradox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paradox. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on paradox

Nglish: Translation of paradox for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about paradox

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