paradoxes

noun

plural of paradox
as in contradictions
someone or something with qualities or features that seem to conflict with one another the paradox of fighting a war for peace

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of paradoxes The result is a movie of dazzling conundrums and vertiginous paradoxes, leading Fielder ever deeper into emotional and intellectual wilds. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2026 Yet, one of leadership’s great paradoxes is that slowing down enough to invest in people is often what ultimately enables teams and organizations to move faster. — Michael Corvini, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026 That transformation captures one of the paradoxes at the heart of the history of waste. — Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026 Along the way, Halliwell tackles some of the field’s deepest paradoxes. — Quanta Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026 Among the paradoxes inherent in our unique health care system is the observation that American health care is the best in the world, and also the most complicated and costly. — Matt Soper, Denver Post, 3 Sep. 2026 The argument about finances produced one of the hearing’s central paradoxes. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 Hinduism is a narrative religion; its mercurial wisdom is lightened and sweetened by stories, softened by ambiguities, sharpened by paradoxes. — Chandrahas Choudhury, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 July 2026 Housed in remote data centers whose energy-intensive maintenance perpetuates the changing environmental conditions that threaten Tuvalu’s existence, the attempt to redeposit territory digitally drives home the paradoxes, and costs, of storage. — Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 26 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paradoxes
  1. contradictions
  2. mysteries
  3. incongruities
  4. enigmas
  5. dichotomies
Noun
  • The origin story of Silicon Valley contains two contradictions.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The film explores the contradictions of a Bulgarian town pulled into Europe’s shifting geopolitical order, where arms production for Ukraine’s frontlines collides with enduring ties to Russia, personal convictions, and the everyday need to survive.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of contradictions
Noun
  • Starring Zhang Yi, Ma Li, and Chen Minghao alongside guest appearances by Karry Wang, Fan Chengcheng, and Chen Feiyu, the multi-decade drama chronicles an elite public security detective unravelling major criminal mysteries based on real cases.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Most Sherlock Holmes stories are mysteries – intricate, complex and brilliantly written.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of mysteries
Noun
  • Both shows attempted to offer a perspective on authentic Italian style, with Milan's incongruities as an underlying theme.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Petzold marvelled at the incongruities.
    — Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of incongruities
Noun
  • PBHs could help resolve other enigmas, too, for instance by acting as seeds for the rapid growth of supermassive black holes in the early universe.
    — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Its findings could also unlock clues about dark energy and dark matter, and some of the universe’s biggest enigmas.
    — Denise Chow, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of enigmas
Noun
  • Farnaby’s work on projects like Paddington 2, Wonka and Ghosts well captures these kinds of dichotomies.
    — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026
  • One of the most persistent false dichotomies in tech policy is the belief that protecting users, particularly minors, requires invading their privacy.
    — Erin Mote, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of dichotomies

Browse Nearby Words

paradox
paradoxes
paragliding
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Cite this Entry

“Paradoxes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paradoxes. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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