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
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Recent Examples of dichotomy
The old dichotomy of hardware versus software is breaking down.
—
Bernard Goyder, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
Other parts of the region are thriving, but [there’s] this kind of dichotomy of downtown and the suburbs.
—Trevor Bach, Dallas Morning News, 31 Jan. 2026
No one understands the dichotomy of Texas basketball better than head coach Sean Miller.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
Especially in scenes featuring a band’s de facto leader and a willful drummer, there are also thematic echoes of Peter Jackson’s documentary about The Beatles, another example of the above dichotomy.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dichotomy
Bernard Goyder, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
Other parts of the region are thriving, but [there’s] this kind of dichotomy of downtown and the suburbs.
—Trevor Bach, Dallas Morning News, 31 Jan. 2026
No one understands the dichotomy of Texas basketball better than head coach Sean Miller.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
Especially in scenes featuring a band’s de facto leader and a willful drummer, there are also thematic echoes of Peter Jackson’s documentary about The Beatles, another example of the above dichotomy.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dichotomy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dichotomy
paradox
Noun
-
The answer to this longevity paradox is less about our understanding of aging biology or our ability to identify potential therapies, but more about how to get promising drugs safely to people.—
Andrew S. Brack,
Time,
26 Feb. 2026
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The agency noted a troubling paradox in recent policy shifts.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dichotomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dichotomy. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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