What is an oxymoron?
Oxymorons are descriptions that use two words that are completely the opposite.
A lot of the time oxymorons should be avoided as they look weird (‘inadvertent oxymorons’ are oxymorons people make by mistake).
However, sometimes an oxymoron can be used to create an interesting description. Some oxymorons have become common phrases.
Examples
| Oxymoron example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| an open secret | something that is supposed to be a secret, but everybody can know it |
| a minor crisis | a crisis, but not a ‘big’ crisis |
| the only choice | although there is technically a choice, only one option is serious |
| alone together | two people are together, and everyone and everything else is very far away |
| victorious defeat | a defeat that is as good as or better than actually winning |
Oxymorons in quotes
Some famous quotes use oxymorons:
| The coldest winter I have ever spent was a summer in San Francisco – Mark Twain | To lead the people, walk behind them – Lao-Tzu |
| The best cure for insomnia is to get a lot of sleep – WC Fields | Simplicity is not a simple thing – Charlie Chaplin |
| If I could drop dead right now, I’d be the happiest man alive – Samuel Goldwyn | Always be sincere, even when you don’t mean it – Irene Peter |