SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
paradoxical
adjective
Seeming contradictory or contrary to expectation, sometimes while expressing a valid insight.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Seemingly contradictory
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topParadoxical can describe an apparent contradiction that proves illuminating rather than an actual error.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See paradoxical in use
It seemed paradoxical that adding a short pause made the whole presentation easier to finish on time.
The result seems paradoxical to a spectator who expected the most elaborate presentation to produce the strongest impression, because the plain dish proves most memorable.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license