On a daily basis, we use oxymorons but never thought how weird they actually are. Understanding their contradictions will make up laugh out loud. In fact, they’re quite common in everyday speech across multiple languages.
What is an oxymoron?
According to the Collins dictionary, an oxymoron is a figure of speech in which opposite or contradictory ideas or terms are combined.
Etymologically, the word oxymoron is quite literally an oxymoron! Since it comes from the Greek word oxumōron: oxus sharp + mōros stupid
Here are some common oxymorons
- Civil war
- Unbiased opinion
- Exact estimate
- Peacekeeper missile
- Awfully good
- Only choice
- Original copy
- Bittersweet
- Random order
- Modern history
- Working vacation
- Bureaucratic efficiency
- Grow smaller
- Happily married
- Virtual reality
- Temporary tax increase
- Living dead
- Minor miracle
- Only choice
- Act naturally
- Old news
- Approximate solution
- Free trade
- Minor catastrophe
- Small crowd
Other Oxymorons in sentences
- Thank God I’m an atheist.
- Free advice is worth what you paid for it.
- Click the ‘Start’ button to shut down the computer.
- May I ask a question?
- We are not anticipating any emergencies.
- This report is filled with omissions.
- Spontaneity is good as long as it is controlled.
Let’s have a look at other funny oxymorons— Enjoy :
- act natural
- advanced BASIC (programming)
- alone together
- awfully good
- awfully pretty
- A Brief History of Humankind
- Back to the Future
- bad luck
- baggy tights
- bittersweet
- big baby
- Big, Little Lies
- The Big Short
- black light
- civil war
- clearly misunderstood
- constant variable
- controlled chaos
- crash landing
- Cruel kindness
- Dead Man Walking
- deafening silence
- dull roar
- even odds
- Eyes Wide Shut
- Falsely true
- foolish wisdom
- freezer burn
- friendly fire
- genuine imitation
- good grief
- Honest Illusions
- intense apathy
- Listen loudly
- live recording
- Melancholy merriment
- militant pacifist
- minor crisis
- mud bath
- negative income
- old boy
- old news
- only choice
- open secret
- original copy
- passive aggressive
- plastic glasses
- poor health
- pygmy mammoth
- random order
- resident alien
- seriously funny
- small crowd
- square ring (boxing)
- student teacher
- Sweet sorrow
- The Worst Best Man
- true lies
- Terrible beauty
- unbiased opinion
- You Only Live Twice
- virtual reality
- walking dead
- weapons of peace
- working vacation
