paradox

noun

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par·a·dox | \ ˈper-ə-ˌdäks

, ˈpa-rə- \

Definition of paradox

1 : a tenet contrary to received opinion

2a : a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true

b : a self-contradictory statement that at first seems true

c : an argument that apparently derives self-contradictory conclusions by valid deduction from acceptable premises

3 : one (such as a person, situation, or action) having seemingly contradictory qualities or phases

Synonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about paradox

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Examples of paradox in a Sentence

For the actors, the goal was a paradox: real emotion, produced on cue. — Claudia Roth Pierpont, New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2008 Again and again, he returns in his writing to the paradox of a woman who is superior to the men around her by virtue of social class though considered inferior to them on account of her gender. — Terry Eagleton, Harper's, November 2007 She was certainly far from understanding him completely; his meaning was not at all times obvious. It was hard to see what he meant for instance by speaking of his provincial side—which was exactly the side she would have taken him most to lack. Was it a harmless paradox, intended to puzzle her? or was it the last refinement of high culture? — Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady, 1881 Mr. Guppy propounds for Mr. Smallweed's consideration the paradox that the more you drink the thirstier you are and reclines his head upon the window-sill in a state of hopeless languor. — Charles Dickens, Bleak House, 1852-53 It is a paradox that computers need maintenance so often, since they are meant to save people time. As an actor, he's a paradox—he loves being in the public eye but also deeply values and protects his privacy. a novel full of paradox

Recent Examples on the Web This question is an expression of what is called the Fermi paradox (named after Enrico Fermi (1901 to 1954), one of the leading physicists of the 20th century). — James Trefil And Michael Summers, Smithsonian Magazine, "If Aliens Exist Elsewhere in the Universe, How Would They Behave?," 31 Dec. 2019 Such golden parachutes are products of a cyclical paradox of sorts. — Steve Berkowitz, USA TODAY, "Fired or hired: Brady Hoke example of how hot market takes care of college football assistant coaches," 10 Dec. 2019 To reach the ski areas, road conditions across the Sierra and Tahoe Basin were something of a paradox on Thanksgiving eve. — Tom Stienstra, SFChronicle.com, "First big Sierra storm of season pounds Tahoe," 27 Nov. 2019 This is the mathematical double whammy at the heart of the friendship paradox. — Kristina Lerman, The Conversation, "Why it seems like your friends have more to be thankful for," 26 Nov. 2019 However, now there's a bit of a paradox with exploration still relatively weak and deal-making now on the decline in 2019. — Jordan Blum, Houston Chronicle, "More new oil and gas inventory coming from mergers, not exploration," 12 Nov. 2019 Tremblaya presents something of a paradox that some biologists think could help illuminate the evolution of cell parts. — Quanta Magazine, "Tiny Genomes May Offer Clues to First Plants and Animals," 20 June 2013 The paradox of the current 10-year economic expansion is that so many people haven't seen much financial progress despite a generally favorable backdrop. — Russ Wiles, azcentral, "Did you make financial progress this year? Evaluate yourself with this checklist," 8 Dec. 2019 Their dilemma pointed to a paradox of the recent television renaissance. — Noam Scheiber, New York Times, "Is Peak TV Really a Bonanza for Female Comics? That’s a Laugh," 25 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'paradox.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.