List of oxymorons
Examples of oxymorons
Let’s take a quick look at some oxymora to further understand how they are made up of disagreeing terms and how they can create new meanings –
Big sip – To sip is to drink a very small amount, in this case, a person is taking a big small mouthful of liquid.
Blinding darkness – This is often used in writing to describe a very very dark place or situation when in fact it is light that causes our eyes such a problem.
Crash landing – Aircraft usually land safely where they are supposed to, a crash is an opposite of landing.
Doing nothing – We cannot be both doing something and not doing anything at all!
Half true. Something is either true or false. How can it be only half true or a little bit true?
Only choice – You really don’t have a choice at all if there is only one option.
Unusual Routine – A routine is something that is usually done and followed. This combination of words can be used to talk about a routine that is quite different to that of other people.
Well-known secret – A secret is something that is known to very few people. A well-known one must be known to many. This could be used to describe something that many know of but do not talk about.
Hopefully these examples have given you a better insight into what makes an oxymoron so that you can identify them quickly in the future! Now, let’s move on to our word lists.
List of oxymorons A - F
The oxymora list has been broken down into 3 parts that correspond with free printable PDF pages. The lists are also in alphabetical order to make them even easier to navigate.
a little more
accurate rumor
act naturally
adult children
advanced beginner
agree to disagree
almost always
almost exactly
almost perfect
alone in a crowd
alone together
alternative facts
altogether separate
anecdotal evidence
authentic model
awfully good
bankrupt millionaire
barely dressed
basic calculus
big sip
bittersweet
black light
blinding darkness
boneless ribs
boxing ring
centered around
civil war
clean dirt
clean hack
clearly confused
climb down
closed opening
common abnormality
common sense
completely unfinished
constant variable
controlled chaos
convenience fee
crash landing
current history
daily special
deafening silence
deceptively honest
definite maybe
definite possibility
deliberate mistake
devout atheist
disgustingly delicious
divided unity
doing nothing
dotted line
down escalator
dry river
dull roar
dull shine
elevated subway
emotional reasoning
endless hours
escaped prisoner
exact estimate
extended cut
extensive briefing
extinct life
extraordinarily humble
extraordinary
fairly accurate
fairly certain
fairly obvious
fall upwards
false positive
false truth
farewell reception
fat free butter
festive tranquillity
final draft
fine mess
first annual
forced choice
foreign national
forgotten memories
found missing
free market
free trade
free with purchase
freezer burn
frenemy
fresh frozen
friendly argument
friendly fire
front end
List of oxymorons F - P
fully empty
future history
genuine imitation
giant ant
global village
good grief
graphic language
group of individuals
guest host
half empty
half full
half true
halfway done
hard water
harmless crime
heavy lightness
homeless shelter
honest thief
humanely slaughtered
humble brag
icy hot
ill health
impossible solution
incorrect fact
inside out
instant classic
jumbo shrimp
known unknown
lamp shade
larger half
last initial
least favorite
lengthy moment
light heavyweight
liquid gas
liquid solid
live recording
living dead
loose tights
loosely packed
loosely sealed
lost discovery
loud silence
loud whisper
love-hate
main branch
man-child
mandatory option
mild hot sauce
militant pacifist
minor catastrophe
minor miracle
missing here
mobile home
modern history
monopoly
mud bath
muted sound
nameless celebrity
narrow range
natural actor
natural synthetic
near miss
nearly late
needless requirement
negative growth
negative income
never again
new artifact
new normal
new routine
new tradition
numb feeling
occupied space
oddly normal
old news
one-man band
only alternative
only choice
only option
open secret
original copy
outer core
paid volunteer
paper tablecloth
partially completed
partially destroyed
passive action
passive learning
passive-aggressive
List of oxymorons P - Z
peace force
peaceful conquest
perfectly flawed
permanent loan
plastic glass
plastic silverware
pretty ugly
primary conclusion
primitive technology
private exhibition
progressively worse
questionable answer
quiet noise
radio appearance
random order
real knockoff
real-life fairy tale
reality show
resident alien
restored ruins
retired worker
rolling stop
run slowly
rush slowly
sad smile
safety hazard
same difference
sanitary landfill
second best
serious joke
seriously funny
sharp curve
sight unseen
silent alarm
silent scream
sit up
slave wages
small crowd
small eternity
small fortune
social distancing
soft rock
Spartan luxury
spendthrift
stand down
static flow
steady vibration
steel wool
strangely normal
stuck fast
student teacher
subtle ruckus
sure bet
sweet sorrow
tense calm
terribly good
theoretical experience
tidy mess
tight slacks
true fact
true fiction
truly false
unbiased opinion
unconscious awareness
unique uniform
unknown identity
unusual routine
vacuum filled
vegetarian meatball
virtual reality
well-known secret
whole piece
wireless cable
wise fool
witch doctor
working vacation
zero deficit
zero tolerance
Using and teaching oxymorons in the English classroom
Introducing these figures of speech will help your students expand their range of vocabulary. While oxymorons can be quite an advanced subject, you can still get lower-level learners going with some easier ones. There are plenty to choose from in the lists above where you can find words to suit whatever age and skill level you are teaching. Try one or more of the ideas below to get started!
Definitions. Ask learners to describe the meanings of the words in the oxymorons, why they are oxymorons, and what they actually mean.
Sentences. Get your class to use them in sentences. This will show that they actually grasp their correct meanings.
Drawing. On a blank sheet of paper see if students can draw images of oxymorons. This is quite a creative activity that can be a lot of fun.
Search. By using books, magazines, or the internet, get learners to find written oxymorons in stories, articles, and poetry.
