What exactly is an oxymoron?

Answer 1

Where you use contradicting words. e.g.
You are pretty ugly.
That's a slow fast car

Full desc.

ox·y·mo·ron Rhetoric. a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in “cruel kindness” or “to make haste slowly.”

[Origin: 1650–60; presumed Gk

Answer 2

An oxymoron (plural oxymorons or, more rarely, oxymora) is a figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory terms. Oxymoron is a loanword from Greek oxy ("sharp") and moros ("dull"). Thus the word oxymoron is itself an oxymoron.

An oxymoron is used mainly to create humour thus, leading the audience for example watching a play, to think about whats happening leading them to a deeper more meaningful understanding of the text

Oxymorons are a proper subset of the expressions called contradictions in terms. What distinguishes oxymorons from other paradoxes and contradictions is that they are used intentionally, for rhetorical effect, and the contradiction is only apparent, as the combination of terms provides a novel expression of some concept, such as "cruel to be kind".

The most common form of oxymoron involves an adjective-noun combination. For example, the following line from Tennyson's Idylls of the King contains two oxymorons:

"And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true"
Oxymorons can also be wooden irons in that they are in violation of the Principle of contradiction which asserts that nothing can be thought if it contains contradictory characteristics, predicates, attributes, or qualities

Answer 3

An oxymoron (plural oxymorons or, more rarely, oxymora) is a figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory terms. Oxymoron is a loanword from Greek oxy ("sharp") and moros ("dull"). Thus the word oxymoron is itself an oxymoron.

Answer 4

An oxymoron (plural oxymorons or, more rarely, oxymora) is a figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory terms. Oxymoron is a loanword from Greek oxy ("sharp") and moros ("dull"). Thus the word oxymoron is itself an oxymoron.

Examples of phrases which are oxymorons
Jumbo shrimp
deafening silence
freezer burn
same difference

Answer 5

A brave Italian, a generous Scotsman, a humble American, an Irish genius.
In other words..an oxymoron is a contradiction in terms.

Answer 6

An oxymoron is a word that means the opposite of the normal definition. The USA "War Department" was renamed the "Defense Department" but has engaged in wars more frequently than it did when honestly named.

"Department of Corrections" is typically the state system of jails which release enraged criminals into society on parole (who then commit even more serious crimes).

Our federal "department of justice" flaunts its love for injustice.

In my entire lifetime, "sincerity" has always meant "with manipulation" and typically "insincerity."

Answer 7

An oxymoron is made up of 2 descriptions which contradict each other but still work, such as "little giant"

Answer 8

for example: "fair burglar" or "a live corpse"... "a fine mess"... Oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory terms.

Answer 9

A phrase where two words with opposite meaning is but together 'bitter sweet' although 'pretty ugly' wouldn't count because pretty means fairly in this case.

Answer 10

It's usually a two-word expression that appears to contradict itself--jumbo shrimp, awfully good, same difference.

Answer 11

an oxymoron is when you put two words together that are the opposite..like heres some examples

"act naturally"- because of your acting,than its not natural

"good grief"-because no grief is good

"jumbo shrimp"-because shrimp are always small

"random order"-because if its an order..its not random