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paradox

noun

ˈper-ə-ˌdäks How to pronounce paradox (audio)
Definition of paradoxnext
as in dichotomy
someone or something with qualities or features that seem to conflict with one another the paradox of fighting a war for peace

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of paradox Construction—one of the world’s least productive industries—may present its own paradox. — Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026 Among the paradoxes inherent in our unique health care system is the observation that American health care is the best in the world, and also the most complicated and costly. — Matt Soper, Denver Post, 3 Sep. 2026 Parton, who moved to Nashville in 1964, was immediately confronted with this paradox. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026 This tension is known as the automation paradox, in which increasingly capable automation gives human operators less practice, while leaving them only the most difficult situations. — IEEE Spectrum, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for paradox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paradox
  1. dichotomy
  2. mystery
  3. contradiction
  4. enigma
  5. incongruity
Noun
  • This dichotomy, between depressive routine and the spark of something exciting, or even irksome, both informs each relationship, and clarifies (for the viewer) Arash’s state of mind the more his reasons are revealed.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
  • That dichotomy surely reflected, consciously or not on Schubert’s part, the circumstances of his life and contradictions of his character.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of dichotomy
Noun
  • But there’s no mystery to it, no blurred edges or murky, resonant spaces of uncertainty.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Among the 14 movies vying for the Golden Eye is Rhys Marc Jones’ Black Church Bay, a mystery-thriller starring Tom Cullen and Joe Locke about a man whose world unravels after an intimate encounter with a younger man.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of mystery
Noun
  • The secret heart of the story is this man’s attempt to endure these contradictions or the inner noise of such a life.
    — Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Pattinson plays him like a man whose voice and demeanor could change at will, an ambitious morass of contradictions.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of contradiction
Noun
  • Dark matter, meanwhile, is thought to be the glue that holds galaxies and other massive structures in the universe together, but again, its nature is an enigma and its existence remains unproven.
    — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Its findings could also unlock clues about dark energy and dark matter, and some of the universe’s biggest enigmas.
    — Denise Chow, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of enigma
Noun
  • Listeners seemed to delight in the incongruity—a semipopular rapper suddenly sounded nothing like himself.
    — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • To them, cartoons are just a part of life, and that incongruity generates much of the film’s humor.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of incongruity

Browse Nearby Words

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paradox
paradoxes
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Cite this Entry

“Paradox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paradox. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on paradox

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about paradox

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