Oxymoron
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
An Oxymoron is when a preceding adjective contradicts the noun or verb following it. A good example of an oxymoron is "A Reliable Computer".
Irony
As you see from that example, oxymorons are normally ironic. They can be much more ironic and calling a phrase an oxymoron can be insulting. A great example of this is calling "American Culture" an oxymoron. Another is "a quite Israeli".
Entertaining Examples
| Act naturally | Found missing | |
| Resident alien | Advanced BASIC | |
| Genuine imitation | Soft rock | |
| Good grief | Same difference | |
| Almost exactly | Government organization | |
| Sanitary landfill | Alone together | |
| Silent scream | British fashion | |
| Living dead | Small crowd | |
| Business ethics | Uneventful marriage | |
| Military Intelligence | Software documentation | |
| New classic | Sweet sorrow | |
| Childproof | "Now, then ..." | |
| Synthetic natural gas | Christian Scientists | |
| Passive aggression | Clearly misunderstood | |
| Peace force | Extinct Life | |
| Temporary tax increase | Plastic glasses | |
| Terribly pleased | Computer security | |
| Political science | Definite maybe | |
| Pretty ugly | Rap music | |
| Working vacation | Exact estimate | |
| Religious tolerance | Microsoft Works | |
| Jumbo Shrimp | Postal Service | |
| Technical Support | Modern history | |
| Fair trading | Parlimentary debate | |
| Gang mentality | Reasonable force | |
| An Aspiring Cynic | Cool as Hell |
Many thanks to Fez, Scottobear, silversolstice and Keeza-P-P for their contributions.
