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erichw1504's avatar

What are some good oxymorons?

Asked by erichw1504 (26448points) May 25th, 2011

Oxymoron: a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in “cruel kindness” or “to make haste slowly.”

List some of the best oxymorons (oxymora). Do you have a favorite? What is it and why do you like it so much?

Here is a massive list for reference. (Hit Ctrl and + to increase the text size.)

<em>Can you create your own?!</em>

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67 Answers

erichw1504's avatar

Considerate boss, haha.

Blackberry's avatar

Black republican lol. Just kidding.

erichw1504's avatar

Airplane food.

rts486's avatar

Good oxymoron

ragingloli's avatar

Christian Science.

erichw1504's avatar

Obedient rebel.

Blueroses's avatar

Good grief.

janbb's avatar

military justice

ragingloli's avatar

military intelligence

ragingloli's avatar

good soldier

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erichw1504's avatar

Floppy disk.

bob_'s avatar

Friendly fire.

tinyfaery's avatar

Christian rock.

AshLeigh's avatar

Bald hair. (It was a conversation with a little girl. “Guess what kind of hair I’m thinking of, @AshLeigh.” “Curly hair?” “No, bald hair.”)

Blueroses's avatar

@erichw1504 wtf is a floppy disk? How old are you? :)

dxs's avatar

“Virgin Mother” is on I thought up. I guess it may not be in Catholicism but it seems it.
Another one of those “out of context” ones would be “pianoforte”, the full name for piano. But in dynamics, piano basically means quiet while forte basically means loud(er).

Blueroses's avatar

These answers are “seriously funny”.

dxs's avatar

aww just realized that mine were on the list…so much for originality…

Blackberry's avatar

Women’s rights (ok, sorry).

WillWorkForChocolate's avatar

Ugly cat (Sorry, but ugly cats just can’t possibly exist!)

MilkyWay's avatar

@Blackberry That wasn’t funny at all :(

AshLeigh's avatar

An ugly Batman.

Brian1946's avatar

Thoughtful bigot.
English sunshine. ;-)
Canadian tropics.
Compassionate corporation.
Diminutive giant.
MyNewt brain. ;-p
“Senseless murders” are occasionally reported in the news, but who has ever heard of a sensible murder?

Coloma's avatar

A question here last week.

“If the world ended today are you ready?”

UH…if the entire WORLD ends, what is there to be ready FOR?

Like it or NOT, you are toast! lol

Okay, I get IT..but, oxymoronic to me.

AshLeigh's avatar

Largely acute.

AshLeigh's avatar

I know a man with the last name Killborn…. Kill…Born… No…

Tropical_Willie's avatar

Jumbo Shrimp

Dirt in the Hole

WillWorkForChocolate's avatar

Government intelligence?

Coloma's avatar

@WillWorkForChocolate

LOL

Two ‘twins.’

Peole aways say that…they have two twins. hahaha

laineybug's avatar

My school is one of the only schools in the county with a “majority minority”. I know, technically it makes sense, but it just doesn’t work in my mind.

mazingerz88's avatar

Sanctimonious bastard?

Blueroses's avatar

@Brian1946 “Senseless murders” are occasionally reported in the news, but who has ever heard of a sensible murder? Wait til I murder my ex, then ask that question.

YARNLADY's avatar

virtually impossible

Only138's avatar

Killing yourself to live.

Brian1946's avatar

@Blueroses

“Wait til I murder my ex, then ask that question.”

Killing anyone who makes you feel that way is justifiable homicide in my book, fatal flower!

blueberry_kid's avatar

Stupid Einstien

Blueroses's avatar

Does Pretty Ugly count?

I’m Clearly Confused.

_zen_'s avatar

Useless information.

ShanEnri's avatar

Cold as hell or cold as crap

linguaphile's avatar

@noelleptc then maybe you’ll like Fresh Frozen jumbo shrimp? :)

Here’s some Will Shakey…
O brawling love! O loving hate!
O anything of nothing first create!
O heavy lightness, serious vanity!
Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms!
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!
Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!
This love feel I, that feel no love in this.

Blueroses's avatar

good one @linguaphile!
Billy also gave us, in the same play:
Parting is such sweet sorrow and
A damned saint, an honourable villain!

and my favorite:
A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus
And his love Thisby; very tragical mirth.’
Merry and tragical! tedious and brief!
That is hot ice and wondrous strange snow.”

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Poser's avatar

Dry Ice.

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ragingloli's avatar

Line 1: Night illuminated by lamps, possibly in a stadium.
Line 2: Zombies.
Line 3: Their heads are turned backwards.
Line 4: Gunblades
Line 5: A biologically deaf person with a cybernetic implant.
Line 8: Geordie LaForge.

AshLeigh's avatar

@noelleptc definately wins… I forgot about the one.(:
(Stole it, and made it my facebook status. Ohhh yeah!)

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WillWorkForChocolate's avatar

A “Soccer Mom Suburban” with a bass system.

Thanks to my husband, I am now driving an oxymoron.

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blueberry_kid's avatar

I got a good one!

Black lightbulb

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WillWorkForChocolate's avatar

comfortable pantyhose

tinyfaery's avatar

I second that ^^.

Blueroses's avatar

I’ll add my vote to @WillWorkForChocolate
and add
All-day-comfort bra

bob_'s avatar

PICS OR IT NEVER HAPPENED.

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WillWorkForChocolate's avatar

/takes a bow Thank you, thank you. Whoever invented pantyhose should be shot on sight!

erichw1504's avatar

I know, I can never get comfortable in those darn pantyhose.

…I mean. What? I don’t wear pantyhose…

dxs's avatar

Christmas in July?

blueberry_kid's avatar

Cold as Hell
Pretty as Hell
Smart as Hell
Good as Hell

any questions?

SomeoneElse's avatar

Honest politician.

linguaphile's avatar

Charitable Corporation

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