Agency Dictionary

Paradoxical

adjectivePronunciation: /ˌpær.əˈdɒk.sɪ.kəl/

In Portuguese: Paradoxal

Philosophy & Ethics

What does “Paradoxical” mean?

Seemingly self-contradictory or absurd, yet expressing a possible or underlying truth upon deeper investigation.

Etymology

Formed from paradox plus the suffix -ical, itself a combination of the Latin-derived suffixes -ic and -al, used in English to form adjectives from nouns. The adjective describes anything that has the nature of a paradox: appearing self-contradictory or absurd while possibly expressing a truth.

Usage note

Paradoxical and contradictory overlap but are not identical. Something contradictory simply clashes with itself; something paradoxical contains the clash and yet may be both sides at once.

Synonyms

contradictory
self-contradictory
incongruous

Word family

paradox
paradoxically

Usage examples

But for creative professionals, this is profoundly paradoxical because our raw materials are feelings.

Concepts

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Issue.15 - 10.000 ImpressionsMay 4, 2023Read the edition

Words of the same theme

Antithesisnoun: A person, thing, or concept that represents the direct or exact opposite of another.
Discursiveadjective: Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
Treatisenoun: A formal, systematic, and comprehensive written work dealing methodically with the principles and evidence of a particular philosophical, scientific, or technical subject.
Maximnoun: A concise statement expressing a fundamental principle, general truth, or practical rule of conduct.
rhetoricnoun: The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing, especially through strategic linguistic devices.
Tangibleadjective: Perceptible by the sense of touch or capable of being physically grasped and measured in concrete physical reality. It distinguishes concrete material products from virtual or intellectual entities.
Holisticadjective: Characterized by the comprehension of parts as intimately interconnected and explicable only in reference to the whole.
Abyssnoun: A deep or seemingly bottomless chasm, either in physical geography or metaphorical psychological depth. It evokes feelings of unfathomable emptiness or existential peril.
aestheticsnoun: A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, artistic taste, and style.
Affectnoun: An expressed or experienced emotion, feeling, or visceral response to a stimulus in psychology and philosophy.
Agapenoun: A selfless, unconditional, and altruistic form of love often associated in theology with divine charity.
Ambiguitynoun: The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness or uncertainty of meaning.

Also from these editions: terms

syntheticadjective: Produced by artificial or chemical synthesis rather than originating from natural or organic processes.
Bottlenecknoun: A point of congestion or obstruction that impedes progress or restricts flow in a production or organizational system.
Engravedadjective: Carved, cut, or etched deeply into a hard surface such as metal, wood, or stone.
Flanknoun: The side of a person's or animal's body between the ribs and the hip, or the lateral side of any military or structural formation.
Hermeneuticsnoun: The branch of knowledge that deals with interpretation, especially of literary texts and philosophical works. It examines how meaning is mediated through linguistic context.
Impressionnoun: An indentation or mark produced on a surface by pressure, or an effect or feeling produced in someone's mind.
Misogynynoun: Dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women that enforces patriarchal inequality and discrimination.
Monologuenoun: A prolonged talk or speech by one person, especially in a drama, conversation, or solo rhetorical presentation.
Naivetynoun: Lack of worldly experience, cynicism, or judgment; natural innocence, simplicity, and uncorrupted openness of mind.
Relentlessadjective: Oppressively constant, unyielding, and refusing to abate in intensity, pace, or determination.
Subordinationnoun: The act of placing in a lower rank or secondary position, or the state of being subject to the authority of another.