What Is Oxymoron: How, Why, When To Use And 7 Facts You should Know

This article is going to be more interesting, because we will be reading and learning about a literary figure of speech “What is oxymoron?”. We will also find out ‘how to form an oxymoron.’

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that places contradictory terms next to each other in word or phrases. As a literary, it is used to make certain word combinations more thought promoting to stand out.

For examples;

  1. Close distance
  2. Crash landing
  3. Cruel kindness
  4. Constant variable
  5. Climb down
  6. Bitter sweet
  7. Calculated risk
  8. Dark light
  9. Definite possibility
  10. Free love
  11. Loud whisper

Examples of Oxymoron:

Now we will find here some examples of Oxymoron which are placed in the list below.

  1. It’s an open secret that we have been in relationship for last six months.
  2. Rumeli is my least favourite relation.
  3. The poem was based on the concept of true myth.
  4. The girl’s looking is a pretty ugly.
  5. The old news is spreading through the town that is gossiping.
  6. The career in engineering is my only choice.
  7. Please bring your original copy of all documents for the verification in the interview.
  8. They maintain the zero deficits expenditure in their family.
  9. It is close distance relationship between my sisters and brothers.
  10. Kaustri keeps me in the dark night.
  11. Parents’ love is always bitter sweet for the children.
  12. Please make ready for the final draft of your writing to be published.
  13. You should put natural make up on your face.
  14. The first rank holder is a hard cushion in the class.
  15. To choose his career in doctor is a calculated risk for Amrit.
  16. The man began climb down from the mountain when it was dark.
  17. Your idea of outing from Kolkata is an imperfect perfection that needs more clarification.
  18. We don’t find a definite possibility from your planning.
  19. The student teacher discussed how to write an assignment questions paper.
  20. The girl eventually married is painful beautiful.
  21. Separation is such sweet sorrow.
  22. Kabir has an unreal passive aggressive personality.
  23. Kakali’s attitude like a big baby.
  24. Good grief, they were really in difficulties.
  25. Antara has become an extremely unpopular celebrity.
  26. I had no choice how to do that I was in a dilemma.
  27. Aritri is a deeply superficial girl.
  28. Parents provide free love for their sons and daughters.
  29. We expressed joyful sorrow in his selection in the army.
  30. There need not of a constant variable to do the sum i.e. X2 = 36.
  31. Painting is my full time hobby.
  32. I will not be going nowhere.
  33. Shipra is now my guest host member in my family.

Explanations of Oxymoron Examples:

1. It’s an open secret that we have been in relationship for last six months.

Open Secret is an oxymoron that says the two words are contradictory to each other. We know that either the relationship can be open or secret.

2. Rumeli is my least favourite relation.

Least favourite is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other. We know that either the relation will be least or favourite.

3. The poem was based on the concept of true myth.

True myth is an oxymoron that says the two highlighted words are opposing to each other in ideas.

4. The girl’s looking is a pretty ugly.

Pretty Ugly is an oxymoron that says the two highlighted words are opposing to each other.

5. The old news is spreading through the town that is gossiping.

Old news is an oxymoron that says the two words are contradictory in ideas to each other.

6. The career in engineering is my only choice.

Only choice is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing in ideas to each other.

7. Please bring your original copy of all documents for the verification in the interview.

Original copy is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in ideas. Here the words ‘Original copy’ is contradictory to each other.

8. They maintain the zero deficit expenditure in their family.

Zero dificit is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other. The words also indicate the contradictory ideas.

9. It is close distance relationship between my sisters and brothers.

Close distance is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in ideas.

10. Kaustri keeps me in the dark night.

Dark night is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in sense.

11. Parents’ love is always bitter sweet for the children.

Bitter sweett is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other.

12. Please make ready for the final draft of your writing to be published.

Final draft is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in sense.

13. You should put natural make up on your face.

Natural make up is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in sense.

14. The first rank holder is a hard cushion in the class.

Hard cushion is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other.

15.  To choose his career in doctor is a calculated risk for Amrit.

Calculate risk is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in ideas.

16. The man began climb down fro the mountain when it was dark.

Climb down is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in sense.

17. Your idea of outing from Kolkata is an imperfect perfection that needs more clarification.

Imperfect perfection is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in the sense.

18. We don’t find a definite possibility from your planning.

Definite possibility is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in the ideas.

19. The student teacher discussed how to write an assignment questions paper.

Student teacher is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in the ideas.

20. The girl eventually married is painful beautiful.

Painful beautiful is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other.

21. Separation is such sweet sorrow.

Sweet sorrow is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other.

22. Kabir has an unreal passive aggressive personality.

Passive aggressive is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other.

23. Kakali’s attitude like a big baby.

Big baby is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other.

24.Good grief, they were really in difficulties.

Good grief is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in the ideas.

25. Antara has become an extremely unpopular celebrity.

Extremely unpopular is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in sense.

26. I had no choice how to do that I was in a dilemma.

No choice is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other and having a conflict to one another in the sense.

27. Aritri is a deeply superficial girl.

Deeply superficial is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in sense.

28. Parents provide free love for their sons and daughters.

Free love is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in ideas.

29. We expressed joyful sorrow in his selection in the army.

Joyful sorrow is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in the sense.

30. There need not of a constant variable to do the sum i.e. X2 = 36.

Constant variable is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other.

31.  Painting is my full time hobby.

Full time hobby is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other. Generally we know hobby is a part time job.

32. I will not be going nowhere.

Going nowhere is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in the sense.

33. Shipra is now my guest host member in my family.

Guest host is an oxymoron that says the two words are opposing to each other in the sense of contradiction.

All the oxymoron examples are explained in details. It is expected that we understood this article about oxymoron.

1. Why to use oxymoron?

  • To make a contradictory sense
  • To make an ironical situation
  • To present a good literary juxtaposition of two words.

2. How to use oxymoron?

  • To add irony
  • To make a deeper idea

 3. When to use oxymoron?

  • To understand the conflict
  • To mean of manipulating language through opposing words.

4.  Where is an oxymoron used?

  • To create deeper meaning
  • To create a contradiction in terms.

5. The effect of oxymoron.

  • To enhance drama
  • To create Humor
  • To indicate Irony

6. Uses of Oxymoron:

  • 1. To reveal deeper meaning-
  • The contradictory of oxymoron often expresses a complex idea. It helps readers to take pause and makes them think about the context in the different light.
  • 2.To Add irony-
  • Some of funny examples of oxymoron whose meanings might not seem in contrast to one another, but their cultural associations are ironic such as i.e. military intelligent, Microsoft works, government organization, business ethics etc.

Conclusion

Oxymorons are extremely useful in written English so that they can make effective title, add dramatic effect, add some flavor to speech, and sometimes be used to achieve a comedic and ironic effect.