What Is an Oxymoron? 12 Oxymoron Examples

An oxymoron is a literary device combining oppositional words to create a unique word or phrase. An oxymoron can seem absurd yet make perfect sense at the same time. For example, “virtual reality” consists of contradictory terms that form a new meaning. The word “oxymoron” is an oxymoron itself and derives from the ancient Greek words “oxys,” meaning “sharp,” and “moros,” meaning “dull.” Writers can use this literary device to establish a playful tone or add a dramatic effect.

An oxymoron and a paradox are both literary devices that involve a contradiction, but there are differences in usage. An oxymoron is a descriptive device that places contradictory terms next to or near one another to create a new meaning, such as “silent scream” or “cruel kindness.”

A paradox combines two or more contradictory ideas or situations that seem implausible. For example, in Oscar Wilde’s play Lady Windermere’s Fan (1893), the character Lord Darlington says: “I can resist everything except temptation.” Wilde uses the contradicting ideas in this statement to illustrate the character’s inability to resist temptation.

Oxymorons have made it into the mainstream lexicon of everyday conversation. Some popular everyday oxymorons include:

1. 1. Almost exactly
2. 2. Awfully good
3. 3. Deafening silence
4. 4. Freezer Burn
5. 5. Living dead
6. 6. Loyal opposition
7. 7. Old news
8. 8. Only choice
9. 9. Open secret
10. 10. Pretty ugly
11. 11. Same difference
12. 12. Small crowd

Writers can use oxymorons in the following ways:

1. 1. Add dramatic effect. Writers can use oxymorons to dramatize feelings and situations. For example, the oxymoron “absolutely unsure” comprises contrasting definitions to support the concept of a character feeling completely uncertain. This emphasis can add a dramatic effect to a sentence or passage.
2. 2. Add irony. Some oxymorons contain words with contrasting cultural associations. Writers can use ironic oxymorons like “airline schedule,” “business ethics,” and “military intelligence” to mock or poke fun.
3. 3. Create a playful tone. The use of oxymorons adds playfulness to writing. Oxymorons like “seriously funny,” “original copy,” “plastic glasses,” and “clearly confused” juxtapose opposing words next to one another, but their ability to make sense despite their opposing forces adds wit to writing.
4. 4. Reveal a deeper meaning. The dichotomy of an oxymoron often expresses a complex idea. It gives a reader pause and makes them think about the context differently. The word “bittersweet,” for example, is an oxymoron that reveals an object's or idea's double-sided existence.

From poetry to prose, writers have used oxymorons to add color and wit to literature for centuries. Consider the following examples:

1. 1. Romeo and Juliet (1597): William Shakespeare’s play features several oxymorons, including the line “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” Another example is when Romeo processes the pain of unrequited love with the words: “Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate! O anything, of nothing first create!”
2. 2. Persuasion (1818): An example of an oxymoron in Jane Austen’s romance novel includes “angry pleasure,” describing Lady Russell’s contradictory feelings toward Frederick Wentworth’s courtship with the young Louisa Musgrove.
3. 3. Don Juan (1819): Lord Byron’s epic poem about the Spanish legend of Don Juan chronicles the Battle of Ismail and includes the oxymoron “melancholy merriment,” perhaps describing the irony of war’s victory and death.
4. 4. Charlotte Brontë (1847): Jane Eyre’s classic story revolves around themes of love, independence, family, and obligation. Torn between love and duty, St. John, cousin of Jane, describes his deep feelings for Rosamond Oliver as “delicious poison.” He feels an overwhelming temptation to be with the woman he loves, even knowing it will ultimately steer him off course.
5. 5. The Call of the Wild (1903): Jack London’s novel contains figurative language to describe the harsh beauty of the Canadian Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. When the Aurora Borealis lights the sky, London describes it as “flaming coldly.” When Buck, the main dog in the story, is beaten into submission, London describes his pain as “exquisite agony.” The oxymorons mirror the contrast between the serene yet brutal landscape of the Yukon and Buck’s resistance to his new environment and his primal desire to embrace it.
6. 6. The Catcher in the Rye (1961): In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist Holden Caulfield describes himself as a “terrific liar,” an oxymoron that pairs words with opposite connotations. This superlative reveals something deeper about the character.

In popular culture, oxymorons can be part of song lyrics and film titles, such as:

1. 1. True Lies (1994): James Cameron’s True Lies, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis, follows an American spy juggling his work and home life. The film title is an oxymoron that helps to set the film’s tone.
2. 2. “Alone Together” (2013): Rock band Fall Out Boy’s song title “Alone Together” is an oxymoron.
3. 3. “All of Me” (2020): John Legend’s ballad “All of Me” includes the oxymoron “perfect imperfections.”

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