WordGarden.iocontradiction
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /kˌɒntrədˈɪkʃən/
US
- /ˌkɑntrəˈdɪkʃən/
Meanings
Noun
a conflict between statements, ideas, facts, or qualities that cannot all be true or fit together
the act of saying that something someone else said is wrong or opposite
in formal logic, a proposition or formula that is false in every possible case
Beyond the definition
Imagine telling someone you love rainy days but then complaining about getting your shoes wet. That’s a contradiction. It happens when two things you say or believe clash, so they can’t both be true (or can’t both make sense) at the same time. Often it isn’t intentional; we speak quickly, forget what we said earlier, or hold mixed thoughts without noticing. A detective, for instance, looks for contradictions in a suspect’s story—details that don’t line up and may hint that something is being hidden. Writers also use contradictions to show that people can be complicated: a character may say one thing, do another, and reveal an inner struggle.
A contradiction is a statement, situation, or set of ideas that cannot all be true at the same time because they clash in a basic way. It’s more than a simple disagreement (two people can disagree and still both be reasonable); a contradiction means the pieces don’t fit together.
One way to see this is with self-contradictory sentences and puzzles in logic, like the “liar” sentence: “This statement is false.” If it’s true, it must be false; if it’s false, it seems to become true again. This kind of loop is often called a paradox, and it shows how language can trip over itself.
In everyday life, contradictions often show up in three main ways:
- Statements: Saying "I'm not angry" while shouting at the top of your lungs.
- Actions: A leader who promotes environmental protection while frequently traveling in a private, high-emission jet.
- Beliefs: Holding two ideas that don’t go together, such as believing that every event is strictly predestined while also insisting that humans have full free will.
In literature and rhetoric, contradictions can highlight irony, hypocrisy, or internal struggle. In logic and philosophy, finding a contradiction is a powerful test: if a theory leads to “A is true” and “A is not true” at the same time, something in the theory has to be wrong. Ultimately, whether it’s a slip of the tongue or a deeper clash between values and behavior, a contradiction signals that things “don’t quite add up,” pushing us to look for what’s really going on.
Examples
- 1
Changing statements
There was a clear contradiction between what he said yesterday and what he said today.
- 2
Broken promises
His actions were in direct contradiction to his promises.
- Patternin contradiction to + statement/promise
in a way that does not match it
- 3
Unreliable report
The report is full of contradictions, so I do not trust it.
- 4
Personal behavior
She says she wants a quiet life, but she is always creating drama; it is a contradiction her friends often point out.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Impossible phrase
"Friendly rivalry" is fine, but "peaceful war" sounds like a contradiction in terms.
- Phrasecontradiction in terms
a phrase with words or ideas that do not fit together
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- a contradiction in terms
- apparent contradiction
- direct contradiction
- contradiction between
Word family
Explore
- logical inconsistency
- self-contradiction
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- contradictionnoun
Forms
- contradictionspluralnoun