contradiction; conflict; dialectical opposition
Meanings
6 senses · 13 examplesnoun
contradiction; inconsistency
Derived from an ancient fable about a spear (矛) that can pierce anything and a shield (盾) that can block anything, leading to a logical dilemma. Used to describe logical inconsistencies in speech or action.
His testimony is full of contradictions, which makes it suspicious.
This report is logically chaotic and riddled with contradictions.
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The ancient fable "The Spear and the Shield" illustrates this principle.
noun
rift; discord; estrangement
Refers to interpersonal conflicts or tensions arising from differing views or clashing actions.
There is deep-seated discord between their two families over the land issue.
Colleagues should avoid letting conflicts escalate.
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These good friends have recently had a falling out.
verb
to contradict; to conflict; to be incompatible
Used to describe situations where two things or ideas are mutually exclusive or logically opposed.
His two statements contradict each other.
These two rules conflict with each other and cannot be implemented simultaneously.
noun
contradiction (dialectics); unity of opposites
formalA core concept in Marxist dialectical materialism, referring to the interdependent yet opposing forces within things. This is a specialized, academic usage.
Contradiction is the fundamental driving force behind the development of things.
Dialectics holds that contradiction is universal.
noun
contradiction (formal logic); contradictory relation
formalA technical term in formal logic. A 'contradiction' is a proposition that is always false because it asserts both something and its negation.
In formal logic, "A and not A" is a classic contradiction.
adjective
contradictory; conflicted; torn
Describes a state of mind where one feels pulled in two opposite directions.
He felt very conflicted about whether to go or not.
She has mixed feelings about this job opportunity.