paradox

noun

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

John Yossarian, a young pilot in World War II who struggles with the violence of war and the Catch-22 paradox that prevents him from leaving his duty. — Maggie Maloney, Town & Country, "The First Trailer for George Clooney's New Series Catch-22 Is Finally Here," 13 Feb. 2019 This kind of late-career employment woe is part of a paradox that is deepening the worst retirement shortfall in decades. — Ruth Simon, WSJ, "‘Just Unbearable.’ Booming Job Market Can’t Fill the Retirement Shortfall," 20 Dec. 2018 Israel’s technological paradox goes to the heart of its culture. — Felicia Schwartz, WSJ, "What’s the Hot Device in Startup Nation? The Fax Machine," 21 Feb. 2019 These works speak to the paradox of the Soviet Union during its early decades, when Utopianism went hand-in-hand with manipulation. — Anne Tschida, miamiherald, "The Power of Propaganda," 22 June 2018 Getty ImagesMark Cuthbert Birthdays are a bit of a paradox. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Kate Middleton Will Spend Part of Her Birthday Away from Prince William," 5 Jan. 2019 Solving America’s painkiller paradox: One of the root causes of the opioid epidemic was the proliferation of painkiller prescriptions. — German Lopez, Vox, "The simple idea that could help end America’s opioid epidemic," 26 Dec. 2018 That's not a bad thing in moderation; some prior seasons went a little overboard with the intricate plotting, multiple timelines, and resulting, baffling paradoxes. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Doctor Who wraps a solid season with its first female Time Lord," 12 Dec. 2018 Intrigued by the paradox between a hard material and the perception of lightness, the architects wanted to test it on the scale of a building. — Liz Stinson, Curbed, "This red brick facade looks like a rippling piece of fabric," 19 Oct. 2018

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.