oxymoron

[ok-si-mawr-on, -mohr-] / ˌɒk sɪˈmɔr ɒn, -ˈmoʊr- /

NOUN

figure of speech

Synonyms

WEAK

adumbration allegory alliteration allusion analogue analogy anaphora anticlimax antistrophe antithesis aposiopesis apostrophe asyndeton bathos comparison conceit device echoism ellipsis euphemism euphuism exaggeration expression flourish flower hyperbole image imagery irony litotes malapropism manner of speaking metaphor metonymy onomatopoeia ornament parable paradox parallel personification proteron rhetoric sarcasm satire simile stylistic device synecdoche trope tropology turn of phrase understatement way of speaking

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Starting a business in retirement may sound like an oxymoron, but the idea has quite a few virtues.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

“Foreseeable future” is an oxymoron right up there with “jumbo shrimp.”

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

Wintertime salads may be an oxymoron for some, but to me, they’re a necessity.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026

That sounds like an oxymoron: We don’t tend to expect illness or old age to create a problem in our life when we are young, but preparing for such eventualities is important.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 9, 2025

The phrase “a little genetic test” strikes me as an oxymoron.

From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth

Vocabulary lists containing oxymoron

Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - Introductory

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Poetry: Literary Devices

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AP English Lit exam terms

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