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Looking for examples of oxymoron? This figurative expression adds flair and fun to any sentence you write.
As a freelance writer, I'm always looking for new techniques to spice up my work.
And oXymorons are one of the “spices” in large . Sprinkle a few of these in to evoke laughter, a sense of wonder, drama, playfulness, and more.
In this article, We will explore:
- The definition of a
- The purpose of a
- How it differs from Irony and juxtaposition.
- 67 Oxymorons for your sparkle.
Let's get started.
Oxymoron definition?
A is a Figure of where (opposite meanings) are put together in unexpected ways.
Fun fact: Oxymoron comes from the Greek words oksús (meaning “eager”) and mōros (meaning “stupid”). The word oxymoron is an oxymoron in the truest sense of the word!
Writers have used them for centuries as to describe the oddities, conflicts, inconsistencies, sorrow and madness of life. Whether in or with words with oxymoron can convey a sense of humor, irony or sarcasm.
Oxymorons are not unique in the
In fact, they are quite common in in several languages, and new ones are constantly being added – often with :
The combination of contradictory terms attracts attention, creates surprise and leaves an impression. Mastery The is an elegant way to incorporate clever wordplay into your creative .
A can a or in one of these formats:
- Single and Compound : Bittersweet, Frenemy (Friend+Enemy), -hate.
- adjective + : (made famous by William Shakespeare), intentional error.
- Adverb + adjective/adverb: Alone together (popular during the COVID pandemic), really fun.
- Freeform: Kill with kindness, new and improved.
vs. juxtaposition
Oxymorons and juxtapositions are closely related literary terms.
Contrast is about placing two things side by side to highlight their differences; it is about comparing situations, ideas, emotions, characters, settings, and events.
A great is the film “Legally Blonde” with Reese Witherspoon in the leading role.
She decides to go to Harvard Law School because she wants to win her boyfriend back.
But with her pink clothes, her Chihuahua Bruiser who accompanies her everywhere in her shopping bag, and her bright orange MacBook that stands out from all the grey and silver laptops in the lecture hall, she doesn't look like a typical law student at all.
A is a kind of juxtaposition, only shorter and focused on two contradictory elements. “Student lawyer” could be a that sums up the plot of “Legally Blonde”.
Comparisons
is another in which a statement initially contains contradictory ideas. However, when thinking in practice, paradoxes make sense. In addition, they often lead to to an underlying truth.
is considered “condensed” . may be true figuratively, but not literally.
Both are contradictions, but the big difference between oxymoron and paradox is that a is something you think about. In contrast, is a description that is enjoyed in the moment and then forgotten, as or the listener moves on.
67 This will improve your writing
There are many great oxymorons, and new ones are discovered and invented every day. Here are 67 examples that we think you will .
from Oxymorons in pop culture
Modern pop culture works hard to attract the attention of the target viewer or in today's flood of advertising. And because oxymorons arouse curiosity and interest, they are ideal titles for books, films and television:
Movie title:
- “True Lies”
- “You only live twice
- “Eyes wide closed”
- “Dead man on the road”
- “Back to the Future”
Book title:
- Honest Illusions (Nora Roberts)
- The Worst Best Man (Mia Sosa)
- Big, Little Lies (Liane Moriarity)
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (Yuval Noah Harari)
- The Big Short (Michael Lewis)
In
Some of the most enduring oxymorons come from Shakespeare's plays and are still widely used today.
But Shakespeare is not the only Guru.
In fact, many modern authors also invent their own works, for example :
- (Shakespeare, 1597)
- Misshapen Chaos (Shakespeare … again)
- Terrible Beauty (William Butler Yeats, 1916)
- (Origin unknown, first published in print in 1830)
- (Source unknown; “to be cruel to be kind” first in Hamlet, ca. 1601)
- False true (Tennyson, 1862)
- Melancholic happiness (Byron, 1819)
- Burning coolness (Hemingway, 1940)
- Terrible beauty (Yeats, 1916)
- Listen out loud (David Nour, 2017): Nour invented this . It makes it clear that you have to listen very carefully to your customers, employees and others.
Quotes & Sayings
These examples might help you to use oxymorons in your :
- “And where does this crazy idea of buying loyalty come from? It is a in relation to”- Steven Erikson, Dust of Dreams
- When my boyfriend gave me a firm “maybe, maybe” for a Friday night out, that was the last straw.
- When our team met for a staff meeting, the boss’s absence was noticeable.
- James Bond approached the beautiful women he met on every assignment with cool passion.
- The politician expressed his deceptively honest opinion.
- The CFO tried to present the company's financial situation in a positive light and talked about the negative sales growth in the last quarter.
- Many workers have proven to be very productive outside of the office. Do their bosses now expect them to take working holidays?
- The well-chosen use of eloquent words by the investigator of the police series always made the villain confess.
Use in songs
The great melody of a song can make it a fan favorite. Add a great title, such as this represents the poetry of the lyrics and you have a song that will be a beloved classic for years to come.
title:
- “A Hard Day's Night” (Beatles)
- “Sounds of “” (Simon and Garfunkel)
- “Hello, I must go” (Phil Collins)
- “Definitely maybe” (Kinks)
- “Cold Fire” (Rush)
text:
- “New Old Fashioned Way” from “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee
- “Your eyes whispered we met” from “Enchanted” by Taylor Swift
- “I only wanna die alive” from “Break Free” by Ariana Grande
- “Now my empty cup tastes as sweet as the punch” from “Along Comes Mary” by the Association
- “When it’s cold outside, I have the month of May” from “My Girl” by the Temptations
in everyday expressions
Many oxymorons have become part of our everyday language and now make sense and seem normal. They describe things that we know are contradictory, but which nevertheless apply at work, at home, in the family and in society.
- Working holiday
- Virtual reality
- Alone together
- Unbiased opinion
- Small miracle
- Advanced Beginners
- Friendly fire
- Plastic cutlery
- Original copy
- Only choice
- Behave naturally
- Old news
- Approximate solution
- Modern History
- Near-accident
- Free trade
- Small catastrophe
- Clean dirt
Funny oxymorons
A comic oxymoron often arises from sarcastic or cynical contradictions. If used correctly, or the listener will at least smile, if not laugh out loud.
- MicrosoftWorks
- Government organization
- Temporary tax increase
- 325 g sponge cake
- Express mail
- Marital bliss
- Food on the plane
- Peacekeeper missile
- Soup sandwich
- Civil War
- Bureaucratic efficiency
- Living dead
Why use oxymorons?
Oxymorons are a great way to evoke emotions, a confuse the or add humor to your . They are a versatile tool that sets your work apart from your competitors and makes it more enjoyable and memorable by:
- Add : “Intentional mistake” implies a not so good, perhaps even evil intention and creates a feeling of fear or foreboding.
- Create a playful tone: “Genuine imitation” indicates that you are buying a fake item from a fashion brand even though you think it is the original.
- Revealing a deeper : “Bittersweet” has long represented the concept that happiness and sadness can exist simultaneously, such as when a child goes to college.
- Add irony: Irony occurs when what appears or is expected on the surface deviates radically from reality. Oxymorons can express irony succinctly, such as “flight schedule” when airlines often do not offer punctual flights.
- Show characters: The names of characters (“Little Joe” as a name for a tall man) or places (Prairie Lighthouse, Nebraska) also offer the opportunity to add depth and uniqueness in a succinct way.
Terribly good for your
That’s over five dozen in several different formats to inspire new ways to engage your readers and keep them interested.
As great as this list may be, just reading this post and then moving on will not The Magic happens in your .
Bookmark this post.
Come back to it again and again during the editing process and take the time to find out where your has dips and could use a kick in the phrasing.
Use the examples above as appropriate, or as models for creating your own contradictory meanings.
This will pay off for you.
Your You will appeal to your readers' emotions, hold their attention the entire time, and leave them wishing there was more.
This post was originally published on September 13, 2021. It has been updated for clarity and completeness.
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