Oxymorons

Oxymorons are figures of speech in which contradictory words are put together in an unexpected way.  

For those of you who want to improve your English vocabulary, some alternative words for oxymoron are, contradiction, paradox, and dichotomy.

The word oxymoron comes from the Greek word oksús (meaning keen) and mōros (meaning stupid). The word oxymoron is quite literally an oxymoron unto itself.

Oxymorons aren’t unique to the English language. In fact, they’re quite common in everyday speech across multiple languages, with new ones surfacing all the time, often with humorous results.

The pairing of contradictory terms grabs attention, generates surprise, and creates an impression. Also, mastering the oxymoron is an elegant way to weave clever wordplay into your creative writing.

An oxymoron can be a word or phrase. 

For example look at these movies titles.True Lies, You Only Live Twice, Eyes Wide Shut, Dead Man Walking, and, Back to the Future.

And these famous songs, A Hard Day’s Night (The Beatles), and Sounds of Silence (Simon and Garfunkel).

The word bittersweet combines bitter and sweet to describe something that evokes both positive and negative emotions simultaneously.

Many oxymorons have become part of our daily language to the point where they now make sense and seem normal. They name things we know are contradictory but still apply at work, at home, in families, and in society.

Working vacation - Virtual reality - Friendly fire - Plastic silverware - Act naturally - Old news, and Modern history.

Funny oxymorons often come from sarcastic or cynical contradictions.

Twelve-ounce pound cake - Express mail - Airline food, and Civil war.

Oxymorons are a great way to evoke emotion, reveal a paradox, confuse the reader, or add humor to your writing.

They are a versatile tool that sets your work apart from your competition and makes it more enjoyable.

One of the weirdest and most commonly used and often annoying oxymoron is definite maybe.

Definite maybe is an oxymoron that combines definite, which indicates something certain or clearly defined, with maybe, which implies uncertainty or indecision. 

It creates a strange and contradictory expression where someone is giving a response that appears to be both affirmative and hesitant at the same time. It's often used humorously or to playfully dodge a commitment while trying to sound somewhat positive.  

For example, if someone asks you if you will attend an event, and you're not entirely sure, you might respond with a definite maybe to leave room for flexibility or to keep them guessing.

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