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

• 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

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

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

Conley has been sought out by Governor Slaton (a gently authoritative Chris Shyer), who has reopened the investigation at Lucille’s urging only to uncover contradictions and inconsistencies in the case. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025

But these are precisely the kind of contradictions that existed in the world that Nandshankar and Vinayak inhabited and continue to be part of Indian culture. —Radha Vatsal june 20, Literary Hub, 20 June 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