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.

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

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

You can, even if it sounds like an oxymoron, travel alone without being a solo traveler.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

He was, if we may use an oxymoron, a libertarian builder.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Has the term “Dodgers organization” become an oxymoron?

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2024

"An oxymoron makes a new meaning out of two opposites, Sunny."

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

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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