What does "paradox" mean?
An apparently self-contradictory statement, which can only be true if it is false, and vice versa.
Paradox
/ˈpæ.ɹəˌdɒks/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An apparently self-contradictory statement, which can only be true if it is false, and vice versa.
- Grammar: paradox is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: abilene, absurdity, ambiguity, ambivalence.
- Useful contrasts: clarity, consistency, truism.
- Usage evidence: The paradox of sport is that it bonds as it divides.
How to use "paradox"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "paradox" 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
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- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
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- 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 "paradox" 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
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "paradox" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 An apparently self-contradictory statement, which can only be true if it is false, and vice versa. countable, uncountable
""This sentence is false" is a paradox."
- 2 (logic) a statement that contradicts itself wordnet
- 3 A counterintuitive conclusion or outcome. countable, uncountable
"It is an interesting paradox that drinking a lot of water can often make you feel thirsty."
- 4 A claim that two apparently contradictory ideas are true. countable, uncountable
"Not having a fashion is a fashion; that's a paradox."
- 5 A thing involving contradictory yet interrelated elements that exist simultaneously and persist over time. countable, uncountable
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 A person or thing having contradictory properties. countable, uncountable
"He is a paradox; you would not expect him in that political party."
- 7 An unanswerable question or difficult puzzle, particularly one which leads to a deeper truth. countable, uncountable
"And only by dismantling our preconceptions of age can we be free to understand the paradox: How young are the old?"
- 8 A statement which is difficult to believe, or which goes against general belief. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner / transform honesty from what it is to a bawd than the / force of honesty can translate beauty into his / likeness: this was sometime a paradox, but now the / time gives it proof."
- 9 The use of counterintuitive or contradictory statements (paradoxes) in speech or writing. uncountable
"The need for paradox is no doubt rooted deep in the very nature of the use we make of language."
- 10 A state in which one is logically compelled to contradict oneself. uncountable
"Thus, like modern disputants, they aimed either to confute the respondent or to land him in paradox."
- 11 The practice of giving instructions that are opposed to the therapist's actual intent, with the intention that the client will disobey or be unable to obey. countable, uncountable
"Defiance-based paradox is employed so that the family will actively oppose and deliberately sabotage the prescription."
Antonyms
Example
"The paradox of sport is that it bonds as it divides."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "paradox"?
Common synonyms include: abilene, absurdity, ambiguity, ambivalence, antinomy, asymmetry.
How do you use "paradox" in a sentence?
The paradox of sport is that it bonds as it divides.
How do you pronounce "paradox"?
Pronounced /ˈpæ.ɹəˌdɒks/.
Etymology
From Middle French paradoxe, from Latin paradoxum, from Ancient Greek παράδοξος (parádoxos, “unexpected, strange”).