Synonyms of dichotomy

dichotomy

noun

dī-ˈkä-tə-mē 

as in paradox

someone or something with qualities or features that seem to conflict with one another

her outfit is a sartorial dichotomy: an elegant gown and ratty old tennis shoes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• paradox
• contradiction
• incongruity
• enigma
• mystery
• riddle
• conundrum
• puzzle
• antinomy
• puzzlement
• mystification

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of dichotomy

The composition reflects Rockwell’s fascination with the dichotomy between what people see and what operates behind the scenes, said Stephanie Plunkett, chief curator at the Norman Rockwell Museum. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 25 June 2026

If anything, the dichotomy between the pop star who prances around Versailles in a sheer nightie and the pop star who stomps onstage in knee-high combat boots feels completely authentic and intentional. — Chelsey Sanchez, CNN Money, 25 June 2026

The binary dichotomy is the beginning of the question of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish homeland, a question of legitimacy that is applied to only one nation in the world. — Joyce Kamanitz, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026

The deaths of Tiana and Jaliyah Watts represent a national statistical dichotomy. — Sara-James Ranta, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 June 2026