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

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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 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 But Johnston also wants to send a mission to the nearest star to our Sun and investigate the Fermi paradox. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026 Photograph by Jake Mein for The New Yorker Outsider art thus sustains a frustrating paradox. — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for paradox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paradox
  1. dichotomy
  2. mystery
  3. contradiction
  4. enigma
  5. incongruity
Noun
  • Independent designers, once a discovery engine, were being squeezed, while the biggest brands put more investment into their own stores, creating a dichotomy in experiences that Bron felt was palpable.
    — Hilary Milnes, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The dichotomy in the market can better be seen in price appreciation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of dichotomy
Noun
  • Narrowing the superconductivity mystery The result also helps rule out a simple conventional explanation.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Sinéty developed a knack for finding within quotidian domestic and village scenes—a woman brushing her hair, a picnic in the sun—a dreamlike sense of mystery.
    — Felix Bazalgette, The New York Review of Books, 5 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

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paradox
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Cite this Entry

“Paradox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paradox. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on paradox

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about paradox

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