contradiction
gb/kˌɑntɹədˈɪkʃən/ us/kˌɑntɹədˈɪkʃən/
B2
English
~ 7400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
conflict between facts or ideas
A situation where two ideas, facts, or statements cannot both be true at the same time.
Usage pattern:
a contradiction between [A] and [B]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *contradiction* when they only mean a simple *difference*. A contradiction is stronger: the two things cannot both be true at the same time. They also sometimes say *“the both sentences are a contradiction”* instead of *“there is a contradiction between the two sentences.”*
Synonyms
inconsistency (Suggests things do not match or fit together, but may sound slightly less strong or absolute than a clear contradiction.)
|
conflict (More general; can describe clashes of interests or people as well as ideas.)
Antonyms
consistency (Describes a situation where statements or facts fit together and do not clash.)
|
agreement (Emphasizes that different statements or people say the same thing instead of opposing each other.)
Collocations
direct contradiction
|apparent contradiction
|internal contradiction
|a contradiction between
|in contradiction to
|resolve a contradiction
Themes
logic
|thinking
|discussion
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- There is a clear contradiction between his public promises and his private actions.
- The two reports are in direct contradiction, so one of them must be wrong.
- Her explanation contains several contradictions that she cannot easily explain away.
- Scientists are trying to resolve the contradiction between these two sets of results.
- His claim to support transparency stands in contradiction to his secretive behavior.
Learner examples
- There is a contradiction between what you say and what you do.
- The witness’s story was in contradiction to the video.
- We need to fix the contradiction in these two rules.
- This paragraph is a contradiction of the first one.
- The teacher showed us a contradiction in the argument.
Noun
C1
entity
2
person or thing with opposing traits
A person or thing that has opposite qualities that do not match, like being very kind and very cruel at the same time.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a contradiction
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the more general sense of a contradiction between ideas. When we call a person *a contradiction* or *a walking contradiction*, we usually mean they have surprising or opposing qualities inside one person or thing, not just that two separate statements clash.
Synonyms
paradox (Often used for people or situations that seem strange because they combine opposite features; slightly more formal and abstract.)
Antonyms
straightforward person (Suggests someone whose qualities are clear and consistent, without surprising opposites.)
Collocations
a walking contradiction
|a living contradiction
|a contradiction in herself
|full of contradictions
Themes
people
|character
|description
|core_vocabulary
|relationships
Examples
- He’s a walking contradiction: shy in groups but fearless on stage.
- Her life is a contradiction, mixing extreme luxury with deep concern for the poor.
- The company is a contradiction, promoting simplicity while selling very complex products.
Learner examples
- She is a contradiction: very rich but very simple.
- He seems like a contradiction because he is friendly but never smiles.
- The city is a contradiction, with old buildings next to very new ones.
- His character is a contradiction of strength and fear.
- To me, he is a walking contradiction.
Noun
formal
C1
action
3
act of denying what was said
The act of saying that what another person said is not true.
Usage pattern:
to accept/brook [no] contradiction
Common mistake:
Learners may think this use is common in casual speech, but it is mainly formal or written. In everyday English, people usually say *disagreement* or *arguing* instead of *contradiction* for the act itself.
Synonyms
disagreement (More general and common; *contradiction* is stronger and more formal, and usually means saying clearly that something is not true.)
|
denial (Focuses on saying that a specific statement is not true, without necessarily implying general discussion.)
Antonyms
assent (A formal word for expressing agreement instead of opposing what was said.)
|
agreement (General term for accepting what someone has said instead of opposing it.)
Collocations
accept no contradiction
|brook no contradiction
|meet with contradiction
|fear of contradiction
Themes
discussion
|argument
|social
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The coach brooks no contradiction from the players during a game.
- She repeated her claim, this time without fear of contradiction.
- His statement passed without contradiction from anyone in the room.
Learner examples
- The boss accepts no contradiction in meetings.
- He spoke again, this time without fear of contradiction.
- No one gave any contradiction to her story.
- The teacher did not like contradiction from students.
- They listened in silence, offering no contradiction.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
4
logically impossible statement or result
In logic or math, a result or idea that cannot be true because it says two opposite things at the same time.
Usage pattern:
to reach/derive a contradiction
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that in logic a *contradiction* is not just a problem but a very specific situation: something that is necessarily false because it claims both something and its opposite. They sometimes say *“small contradiction”* when they only mean a minor error or problem.
Synonyms
impossibility (General word; *contradiction* specifically means something is impossible because of its logical form.)
Antonyms
tautology (In logic, a statement that is always true, the opposite of a contradiction which is always false.)
|
consistency (In logic or math, the absence of contradictions within a system.)
Collocations
logical contradiction
|derive a contradiction
|reach a contradiction
|proof by contradiction
|leads to a contradiction
Themes
logic
|mathematics
|philosophy
|science
|education
Examples
- Assume the opposite and show that this leads to a contradiction.
- In this logical system, adding that axiom produces a contradiction.
- The set of equations contains a contradiction, so there is no solution.
Learner examples
- In this proof we try to find a contradiction.
- The teacher said that a contradiction is always false.
- If our idea gives a contradiction, the idea is wrong.
- The theory is strong because it has no contradiction.
- They used contradiction to show the answer is impossible.
Grammar
Dictionary form
contradiction
IPA
GB/kˌɑntɹədˈɪkʃən/
US/kˌɑntɹədˈɪkʃən/
Syllables & stress
con - tra - dic - tion (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (dic)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: contradiction
- Plural: contradiction, contradictions
Word family
Forms
contradictions
noun
Core family
contradict
verb B2
contradictory
adjective B2
Related words
contrary
adjective B2
Advanced or less common
contradictorily
adverb
Expressions
a contradiction in terms
1/ə kˌɑntɹədˈɪkʃən ˈɪn tˈɚmz/
idiom
expression whose words oppose each other
a phrase where the words should not go together because their meanings are opposite or do not fit
Examples
- For many people, ‘honest politician’ sounds like a contradiction in terms.
- Calling that tiny room a ‘ballroom’ is almost a contradiction in terms.
- Some argue that ‘clean war’ is a contradiction in terms.
a walking contradiction
1/ə wˈɔkɪŋ kˌɑntɹədˈɪkʃən/
idiom
informal
person with clashing qualities
a person who has very different or opposite qualities that do not seem to fit together
Examples
- She’s a walking contradiction: super organized at work but totally chaotic at home.
- Tom is a walking contradiction, proud of his independence but always asking for help.
- As a calm but thrill‑seeking pilot, he felt like a walking contradiction.
brooks no contradiction
1/bɹˈʊks nˈoʊ kˌɑntɹədˈɪkʃən/
idiom
formal
does not allow disagreement
used to describe someone who will not allow any disagreement or challenge to what they say
Examples
- The director brooks no contradiction when it comes to safety rules.
- Known as a strict leader, she brooks no contradiction from her team.
in contradiction to
1/ˈɪn kˌɑntɹədˈɪkʃən tə/
fixed phrase
formal
in clear opposition to something
used to say that something is the opposite of, or does not agree with, something else that was said or done
Examples
- His recent comments are in contradiction to the company’s official policy.
- The court’s decision stands in contradiction to earlier rulings on the same issue.
- These results are in direct contradiction to what we found last year.
no contradiction between
1/nˈoʊ kˌɑntɹədˈɪkʃən bɪtwˈin/
fixed phrase
two things are not incompatible
used to say that two ideas or facts can exist together and do not clash
Examples
- There is no contradiction between loving your job and wanting more vacation time.
- She insists there is no contradiction between tradition and innovation in her work.
proof by contradiction
1/pɹˈuf bˈaɪ kˌɑntɹədˈɪkʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
logical method assuming the opposite
a way to prove something in math or logic by first saying it is false, then showing that this idea leads to an impossible result
Examples
- We can show that there are infinitely many prime numbers using a proof by contradiction.
- The teacher demonstrated the theorem with a simple proof by contradiction.
without fear of contradiction
1/wɪðˈaʊt fˈɪɹ əv kˌɑntɹədˈɪkʃən/
idiom
formal
say something with full confidence
used before a statement to say that you are very sure it is true and think no one can seriously disagree
Examples
- I can say, without fear of contradiction, that she is the most experienced person here.
- He stated, without fear of contradiction, that the project would finish on time.