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What is an oxymoron? (with examples)
An oxymoron is a term in which two contradictory terms are combined.
The term“oxymoron“is itself an oxymoron, since it derives from the Greek“oxus“(sharp) and“moros“(idiot).
The plural of“oxymoron“es“oxymoron“u“oxymora“, but“oxymoron“it is much more popular [evidence].
Easy Examples of Oxymorons
- Act naturally
(Acting means you’re not being natural.) - Non-working mother
(Being a mother involves a lot of work.) - Fresh Raisins
(Raisins are dried-out grapes.)
More Examples of Oxymorons
It is often debatable whether the contradictory terms in an oxymoron are really contradictory. Often they are not. Here are some well-known oxymorons that only have partially contradictory terms.
- dull shine
- female gunman
- jumbo shrimp
- plastic glasses
- Four-ounce pound cake
Here’s an example of something that sounds a lot like an oxymoron but isn’t.
- Non-prosaic prose
(“Prosaic“is the adjective of prose, which is normal text as opposed to poetry and verse. The term“non-prosaic prose“looks like an oxymoron, but it isn’t because“prosaic“can also mean ordinary, everyday, or boring. So, they’re just two interesting words that translate, literally, as interesting words.)
Why Should I Care about Oxymorons?
Encourage your readers to ponder your concept.
Oxymorons are not usually mistakes. Contradictory elements are often deliberate to make the reader stop and reflect on the concept.
- Deafening silence
(This classic oxymoron describes an uncomfortable silence – as uncomfortable as someone screaming. It’s a thought-provoking phrase.)
Although oxymorons are more common in poetry and literary works, they do have some utility in business correspondence, as they can have an impact.
Keypoint
An oxymoron is a deliberate mistake that causes the reader to stop and reflect.
