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Literature vocabulary · Literary Devices and Figures of Speech

Oxymoron

Meaning in literature, with examples

/ˌɒksɪˈmɔːrɒn/nounCommon term

In literature, oxymoron means: A figure of speech that puts two contradictory words side by side, such as 'deafening silence' or 'bittersweet', to create a striking effect.

In Turkish: oksimoron, çelişik deyiş, zıt anlamlı söz öbeği

How it is used

Common in poetry, especially love poetry, and in everyday language (a small crowd, an open secret). Critics say an oxymoron captures mixed feelings or a paradoxical situation. Plural: oxymorons or, more formally, oxymora.

Example sentences

  1. The poem's title, 'Cheerful Funeral', is a deliberate oxymoron.

  2. Find the oxymoron in the opening line and explain what feeling it expresses.

Common collocations

  • a striking oxymoron
  • use an oxymoron
  • a classic oxymoron
  • paradoxA statement or situation that seems self-contradictory or absurd but turns out to express a deeper truth, as in 'less is more'.
  • figure of speechA use of words in a non-literal or unusual way to create a special effect or meaning, such as a metaphor, simile, hyperbole or personification.
  • ironyA contrast between what is said and what is meant, or between what is expected and what actually happens, often used for humor or criticism.
  • imageryDescriptive language that appeals to the senses, such as sight, sound, smell, taste and touch, so that readers can picture or feel what is described.

More terms: Literary Devices and Figures of Speech

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