contradiction

noun

con·​tra·​dic·​tion ˌkän-trə-ˈdik-shən 

1

: act or an instance of contradicting

the defendant's contradiction of the plaintiff's accusations

2

a

: a proposition, statement, or phrase that asserts or implies both the truth and falsity of something

… both parts of a contradiction cannot possibly be true …

—Thomas Hobbes

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

Synonyms

• dichotomy
• incongruity
• paradox

Examples of contradiction in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Listen for what’s unsaid, name the contradictions and hold a space where growth actually takes root. —Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

The arrival of white South Africans in the U.S. as refugees highlights the contradictions of Trump’s immigration policies, Hamed Aleaziz and Michael Crowley write. —Eric Lipton, New York Times, 14 May 2025

To that, defense attorney Brian Steel’s slicing up of the testimony of former hotel security guard and current LAPD officer Israel Florez on Day 1 of the trial yesterday was the approach of the Combs’ team in microcosm — find the contradictions, and the leaps of faith and pound on them. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 13 May 2025

Every Full Moon is an opposition of the Sun and the Moon, which creates contradictions within us, which can translate into tension. —Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 12 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English contradiccioun "objection, opposition, contradiction in logic" borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French contradiction, borrowed from Latin contrādictiōn-, contrādictiō "act of speaking in opposition, counterargument" (Late Latin also "contradiction in logic," after Greek antíphasis), from contrādic-, variant stem of contrādīcere "to speak against, object to" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at contradict

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing contradiction

• contradiction in terms
• self-contradiction
• without fear of contradiction

Rhymes for contradiction

• antifriction
• benediction
• crucifixion
• dereliction
• interdiction
• jurisdiction
• malediction
• addiction
• affliction
• constriction
• conviction
• depiction

Kids Definition

contradiction

noun

con·​tra·​dic·​tion ˌkän-trə-ˈdik-shən 

1

: something (as a statement) that contradicts something else

2

: a condition in which things oppose each other