What does "antinomy" mean?
A contradiction within a law, or between different laws; also, a contradiction between authorities.
Antinomy
/ænˈtɪn.ə.mi/ noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A contradiction within a law, or between different laws; also, a contradiction between authorities.
- Grammar: antinomy is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: ambiguity, ambivalence, asymmetry, conflict.
- Useful contrasts: accord, coherence, consistency.
- Usage evidence: Hyponymy, antinomy and synonymy are all lexical terms.
How to use "antinomy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "antinomy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "antinomy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "antinomy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "antinomy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "antinomy" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ambiguity" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "antinomy", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A contradiction within a law, or between different laws; also, a contradiction between authorities. archaic, countable, uncountable
- 2 a contradiction between two statements that seem equally reasonable wordnet
- 3 Any contradiction or paradox. broadly, countable, uncountable
"The Antinomians: These Gospell-truths, these sweet Sermons of Free-grace, that setting up of naked Christ on his Throne, which hath seduced so many thousands of well-meaning souls, do now appear in their own colours, and to any common eye may be seen to be nothing but the grosse Antinomy of the old Libertines."
- 4 Any contradiction or paradox.; In the thought of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724–1804): an apparent contradiction between valid conclusions; a paradox. broadly, countable, specifically, uncountable
"This introduces the antinomy that has followed us through the whole study. The solution of this antinomy is found in making the Not-me, which interrupts self-consciousness, really reflect self-consciousness, by manifesting the nature of the I—in other words, by making it conform to the ideal of the soul."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Hyponymy, antinomy and synonymy are all lexical terms."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "antinomy"?
Common synonyms include: ambiguity, ambivalence, asymmetry, conflict, contradiction, dialectic tension.
How do you use "antinomy" in a sentence?
Hyponymy, antinomy and synonymy are all lexical terms.
How do you pronounce "antinomy"?
Pronounced /ænˈtɪn.ə.mi/.
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin antinomia, from Ancient Greek ἀντινομία (antinomía), from ἀντι- (anti-, prefix meaning ‘against’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- (“face; forehead; front”)) + νόμος (nómos, “custom, usage; law, ordinance”) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā, suffix forming feminine abstract nouns), with νόμος (nómos) derived from νέμω (némō, “to deal out, dispense, distribute”) (from Proto-Indo-European *nem- (“to distribute; to give; to take”)) + -ος (-os, suffix forming nouns indicating actions or their results). The English word may be analysed as anti- (prefix meaning ‘against; opposite of’) + -nomy (suffix indicating a system of laws, rules, or knowledge about a body of a particular field).