One oxymoron example is "deafening silence," which describes a silence that is so overpowering it almost feels deafening, or extremely loudjust as an actual sound would. The suggestion is that after a year into high school or college, a sophomore might think they know everything there is to know, but really has a long way to go. If you're referring to oxymoron in plural, both oxymorons and oxymora are correct. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. The word "oxymoron" is an oxymoron itself and derives from the . Generally, an oxymoron phrase is a . The sentences in this section feature oxymorons from the list above. Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oxymoron. However, she lovingly anticipates seeing him again which is a pleasant feeling. Oxymorons present an ideal opportunity to be clever or funny. Highlighting their differences accentuates their meaning and the words come across stronger. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. However, a bone may seem juicy to a dog that is salivating at the thought of chewing it. Banksy, Wall and Piece. the word nascar is an oxymoron. Combining the idea of before and after leads to a word that describes something that makes so little sense that it leaves you shaking your head. It takes that remaining super- prefix from supermarket and then replaces market with the diminutive suffix -ette (as found in words like kitchenette or featurette). 'when they are silent, they cry out'), Listing of antonyms, such as "good and evil", "male and female", "great and small", etc., does not create oxymorons, as it is not implied that any given object has the two opposing properties simultaneously. Consider these paradox examples: You have to spend money to make money. However, others can be intentional: For instance, in the phrase deafening silence, the seeming contradiction only serves to emphasize the intensity of the silence. Lets get this one out of the way. Seeing these oxymoron examples used in the context of sentences may provide a better idea of how and why they're used. In its original Italian, chiaro means clear or light, while oscuro means obscure or dark., One ambitious curator went for a whole Caravaggio, The Supper at Emmaus, using clever kitchen lighting for some real-life chiaroscuro. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. "faith unfaithful", "falsely true" (Tennyson),[16] to compound the power behind certain words. Oxymoron can enhance drama in writing. Why use phrases that don't seem to make logical sense? "100 Awfully Good Examples of Oxymorons." What ACT target score should you be aiming for? $8.95. Awfully good, bittersweet, same difference, and original copy are a few oxymoron examples. Now you can see that oxymorons add humor or drama to speech or writing, allowing you to make a funny or pointed remark. One example of a skillful oxymoron isreal fake. Oxymorons are common, often unconscious, literary devices. One example of a paradox is the following conflicting idea. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. When you're ready to graduate from oxymorons to symbolism, enjoy these examples of symbolism in literature. (see what we did there? [9] To save this word, you'll need to log in. Figure of Speech: Definition and Examples, Definition and Examples of Irony (Figure of Speech). This list is in no way comprehensive, and just aims at giving you an idea as to what oxymora are. That makes oxymorons a serious option in word choice. All rights reserved. An oxymoron is a self-contradicting word or group of words (as in Shakespeares line from Romeo and Juliet, "Why, then, O brawling love! Don't be surprised if none of them want the spotl One goose, two geese. The Greek expression "to oxymoron" refers, literally, to the "acutely mad". tags: independent-thought , initiative , oxymoron , paradox. The best oxymorons emphasize contrasts, incongruities or the complex nature of reality. Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Such a phrase shows that an object can have two different qualities at once, making it a subject for study and analysis. This means that oxymoron is a figure of speech that includes just a couple of contradictory words that are paired together rather than a full statement of ideas. A simpler meaning would be that, it is a set of consecutive words that express conflicting meanings. Rather, an oxymoron is a cool literary device you can use in your creative writing. Too many uses of oxymoron can be either distracting or tedious for the reader. n, -mor- / grammar a phrase or statement that seems to say two opposite things, as in " jumbo shrimp " and " agree to disagree " (Definition of oxymoron from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary Cambridge University Press) Examples of oxymoron oxymoron Heres a tip: Want to make sure your writing shines? Keep going to discover even more. cabarrus county sheriff's office directory . by William Shakespeare, wherein combining things that contrast is an ongoing theme.) I want to receive exclusive email updates from YourDictionary. The best way to make money is to spend money. brennan boesch career earnings cameron boyce funeral cameron boyce funeral It was featured notably by Leonardo da Vinci in such works as The Adoration of the Magi (ca. In this scene, Juliet utters the phrase "sweet sorrow" to describe the feeling she has when having to say goodbye to Romeo. Ask questions; get answers. Now that weve gone over what an oxymoron is, lets take a closer look at four famous oxymoron examples in sentences to better understand how this literary device actually works. One goose, two geese. In this poem, Lord Byron uses the oxymoron melancholy merriment to describe the feelings and connections between sadness and joy. Here are some well-known and recognizable examples of this figure of speech: People are often confused by the difference between oxymoron and paradox. It might sound like a schoolyard insult, but it's not. Oxymoron can also serve as a means of elevated language when used to express a sense of irony. In 1778, the French chemist Antoine Lavoisier (1743-94) proposed for the recently discovered element the name . An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines contradictory words with opposing meanings, like old news, deafening silence, or organized chaos. Oxymorons may seem illogical at first, but in context they usually make sense. Some oxymorons are accidental and/or so common in our speech that we dont realize that theyre totally contradictory. There is, we regret to inform you, no commonly used verb form of the word. Meghan graduated from Marist College with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 2017; her creative nonfiction piece Anticipation was published in the Spring 2017 issue of Angles literary magazine. A common oxymoron example is "bittersweet"the two root words, bitter and sweet, are inherently contradictory. An Oxymoron is a combination of contradictory or incongruous words, such as 'Cruel Kindness' or 'Jumbo Shrimp' The phrase terrific liar pairs two words that have opposing connotations. Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox! And then an interesting thing happens with superette. That noun combines sophos, the Greek adjective meaning wise, with its intellectual opposite mros, meaning foolish.. The oxymoron is a figure of speech that adds depth and technique to literary works. PDF. 1481-82). "melancholy merriment" (Byron), These 50+ oxymoron examples are listed alphabetically and arranged by category (i.e., the type of oxymoron word combination). Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way. Oscar Wilde. He enjoyed writing things that weren't meant to be taken literally, simply pondered upon. Feeling 'bumfuzzled' or have the 'collywobbles'? There are many examples of oxymorons in the English language such as "jumbo shrimp," "hot ice," and "civil war." Oxymoron is a word that literally means "contradictory terms." An oxymoron term is a literary figure of speech in which opposite or contradictory words, phrases, terms or ideas are combined to create a rhetorical effect by paradoxical means. "expressive silence" (Thomson, echoing Cicero's Latin: cum tacent clamant, lit. Theoxymorons here point toLancelot's contradictory existence in regard to his relationships with both Guinevere and King Arthur: Lancelot isa "faithful" and "honorable" lover to Guinevere yet also an "unfaithful" and "dishonorable" knight to King Arthur, Guineveres husband, whom he is essentially betraying by carrying out a love affair with the queen. An oxymoron can seem absurd yet make perfect sense at the same time. hbspt.cta.load(360031, '4efd5fbd-40d7-4b12-8674-6c4f312edd05', {}); Have any questions about this article or other topics? By that measure, no crisis is unimportant or minor. More than a few have even become commonplace expressions in modern-day English, such as these oxymoron examples: As with other literary devices like metaphor, onomatopoeia, and hyperbole, oxymorons have a few different purposes in writing, all of which are quite useful in the right situation: As a contradiction of terms, an oxymoron both stands out and also elicits critical thinking. Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism, Of melancholy merriment, to quote. Old news is an everyday example of an oxymoron, as news is meant to be current. (One, in particular, is in. Oxymoron, , Acutifatuum aut stulte acutum, subtilly foolish; derived from , [oxy] acumen, sharpnesse of wit, and , [moros] stultus, a fool. Here are some of the more famous oxymoron examples from historical literature: All the pain he had endured was as nothing compared with the exquisite agony of this. that juxtaposes contradictory terms. . Also, they often lead the reader to an underlying truth. There are a number of single-word oxymorons built from "dependent morphemes"[9] (i.e. By extension, oxymorons deal with the contrast between the meanings of words, but paradoxes focus on the contrast between complete ideas. Take a look at which ones you have used in conversation: An oxymoron is a term in which two contradictory terms are combined. Our word piano, referring to the instrument, is short for pianoforte; the full Italian name of the instrument is gravicembalo col piano e forteliterally, harpsichord with soft and loud, due to the fact that its tones could be varied in loudness. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free!