1
as in paradoxes
someone or something with qualities or features that seem to conflict with one another
a loving father as well as a ruthless killer, the gangster is a living contradiction
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in denials
a refusal to confirm the truth of a statement
the actress's contradiction of the marriage rumor caused quite a stir
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contradictions
That impetus brought Lance Hammer back out of the woodwork, a gauntlet thrown to himself to think through problematic contradictions involving the quite different — and often sparring — human verticals of capability, autonomy, and decline.
—
Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026
That message comes with some profound contradictions.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Last week, numerous contradictions and U-turns by the White House and National Governors Association (NGA) led to sweeping bewilderment about the status of the association’s annual meeting with the president.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 15 Feb. 2026
In mid-January, a stranger studying American higher education would have noticed contradictions in the system.
—David Ignatius, Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Suddenly a lot of contradictions make more sense.
—Andreas Kluth, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
The contradictions of his time, of his life, speaking uncomfortably at the lectern, writing imperfect manifestos, suffering personal losses, standing in the open doorway of the hut on Walden Pond, holding grief, listening for deeper currents, and striving to love more.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
Another argues that some of the apparent contradictions of LRDs can be reconciled by an amorphous, nonspherical shape.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
Duality comes up a lot in Cameron’s work—alter egos, inner contradictions, mirror images.
—Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 5 Feb. 2026
Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026
That message comes with some profound contradictions.
—Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Last week, numerous contradictions and U-turns by the White House and National Governors Association (NGA) led to sweeping bewilderment about the status of the association’s annual meeting with the president.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 15 Feb. 2026
In mid-January, a stranger studying American higher education would have noticed contradictions in the system.
—David Ignatius, Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Suddenly a lot of contradictions make more sense.
—Andreas Kluth, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
The contradictions of his time, of his life, speaking uncomfortably at the lectern, writing imperfect manifestos, suffering personal losses, standing in the open doorway of the hut on Walden Pond, holding grief, listening for deeper currents, and striving to love more.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
Another argues that some of the apparent contradictions of LRDs can be reconciled by an amorphous, nonspherical shape.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
Duality comes up a lot in Cameron’s work—alter egos, inner contradictions, mirror images.
—Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contradictions
Noun
-
The ancient Greek philosopher Zeno used it to concoct all sorts of paradoxes.—
Joseph Howlett,
Quanta Magazine,
25 Feb. 2026
-
The strong force’s paradoxes make its interactions incredibly difficult to predict.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Look for exclusions and coverage caps, and always read the fine print to avoid surprise charges and claim denials.—
Dan Simms,
USA Today,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Allen’s platform includes a number of ideas to ensure policyholders are treated better, including requiring insurers to clearly explain claim denials.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That said, Bezos admitted brutal honesty with his potential investors may have played a role in getting so many rejections.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The return hubs would handle migrants whose countries of origin refuse to accept them back after asylum rejections.—
Elena Becatoros,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contradictions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contradictions. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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