{"id":5837,"date":"2025-04-07T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-07T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/?p=5837"},"modified":"2025-04-07T01:00:01","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T01:00:01","slug":"what-are-oxymorons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Oxymorons? [Updated]"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#What_Are_Oxymorons_and_Why_Do_We_Use_Them\" >What Are Oxymorons and Why Do We Use Them?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Common_Oxymorons_in_Everyday_Use\" >Common Oxymorons in Everyday Use<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Small_crowd\" >Small crowd<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Old_news\" >Old news<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Awfully_good\" >Awfully good<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Good_grief\" >Good grief<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Upside_down\" >Upside down<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Passive_aggressive\" >Passive aggressive<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Open_secret\" >Open secret<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Agree_to_disagree\" >Agree to disagree<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Concrete_jungle\" >Concrete jungle<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Oxymorons_in_Popular_Media\" >Oxymorons in Popular Media<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Movies\" >Movies<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Music\" >Music<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#Wrap-up\" >Wrap-up<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>Expressions like \"seriously funny\" and \"ladies' man\" are quite common in English. However, they may sound a little strange to learners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These terms are called \"oxymorons\" \u2014\u00a0expressions that combine words with opposite meanings for impact and originality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article will explain why oxymorons are used and introduce some common examples of them. You may have even used some yourself without realizing it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_Oxymorons_and_Why_Do_We_Use_Them\"><\/span><strong>What Are Oxymorons and Why Do We Use Them?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com\/definition\/english\/oxymoron?q=oxymoron\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Oxford dictionary<\/a> describes oxymorons as \u201ca phrase that combines two words that seem to be the opposite of each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what\u2019s the purpose of combining opposites?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, one big reason is because it's <strong>memorable<\/strong>. If you hear or read a combination of opposite ideas, it gets your attention and makes you want to learn more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another reason is that oxymorons often <strong>express deeper meanings<\/strong>. For example, look at the word \u201cbittersweet\u201d (bitter + sweet). We understand the individual meanings, but when we put them together, we have a new word that expresses a very unique feeling or situation in which happiness is mixed with sadness.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are other ways to describe this feeling, but an oxymoron can do it powerfully with only one word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_Oxymorons_in_Everyday_Use\"><\/span><strong>Common Oxymorons in Everyday Use<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/07\/31085452\/oxymorons_1-1024x650.jpg\" alt=\"A roller coast against the sky at dusk\" class=\"wp-image-9114\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/07\/31085452\/oxymorons_1-1024x650.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/07\/31085452\/oxymorons_1-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/07\/31085452\/oxymorons_1-768x488.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are a few oxymorons you might hear in daily conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Small_crowd\"><\/span><strong>Small crowd<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCrowded\u201d is an adjective that refers to a large number of people in one area. As a noun, it becomes \u201ccrowd.\u201d If you're wondering how many people are included in a \"small crowd,\" the answer depends on the situation you're describing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The performer stood in the center of a <strong>small crowd<\/strong> on the street.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Old_news\"><\/span><strong>Old news<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNews\u201d usually refers to recent information about current events. However, \u201cold\u201d is the complete opposite of \u201ccurrent.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We use \"old news\" to talk about information that someone is learning late or after everyone else has already heard it.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"unified-block unified-chat-bubble pos-left\"><div class=\"unified-chat-bubble-user\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/22141637\/avatar_18.png\" class=\"unified-chat-bubble-avatar\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\"><div class=\"unified-chat-bubble-name\">A<\/div><\/div><div class=\"unified-chat-bubble-content\"><div class=\"block-align-none\">Did you hear that Mark is moving overseas?<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"unified-block unified-chat-bubble pos-right\"><div class=\"unified-chat-bubble-user\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/22141624\/avatar_16.png\" class=\"unified-chat-bubble-avatar\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\"><div class=\"unified-chat-bubble-name\">B<\/div><\/div><div class=\"unified-chat-bubble-content\"><div class=\"block-align-none\">That\u2019s <strong>old news<\/strong>. I\u2019ve known for weeks already.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Awfully_good\"><\/span><strong>Awfully good<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAwful\u201d is a strong adjective that means \u201cterrible\u201d or \u201cvery bad.\u201d But in the adverb form \u201cawfully,\u201d it's used to emphasize things. So \u201cawfully good\u201d is another way to say \u201cextremely good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>That documentary is <strong>awfully good<\/strong>. I recommend you watch it.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Good_grief\"><\/span><strong>Good grief<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGrief\u201d expresses sorrow, but this combination of words doesn't mean \u201cgrief that is good.\u201d Instead, it expresses surprise or annoyance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\"Good grief!\" is actually a famous line often said by Charlie Brown from the <em>Peanuts<\/em> comics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CYjcOxfM94P\/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a67816dd-9f6d-402f-9fca-b542818b6bd5\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Related article:<\/em> <em><a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/travel-fun\/peanuts-quotes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10 Great Quotes from the Peanuts Comics<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Upside_down\"><\/span><strong>Upside down<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We use this oxymoron to describe anything that has its top and bottom in opposite positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The roller coaster took us<strong> upside down<\/strong> several times.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Passive_aggressive\"><\/span><strong>Passive aggressive<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Someone who is aggressive is forceful, direct or even violent. A passive person is the opposite. So what happens when we combine these traits?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being \"passive aggressive\" means being silent, disrespectful or lazy as a way to show negative feelings toward another person or situation. It has a negative nuance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>His <strong>passive-aggressive<\/strong> behavior frustrates his colleagues and creates an uncomfortable work environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Open_secret\"><\/span><strong>Open secret<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\"Open secrets\" refer to information that is <em>supposed<\/em> to be secret even though everyone already knows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The CEO's plan to <a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/youre-fired-expressions-for-joining-and-leaving-companies\/#Resign\">resign<\/a> at the end of the year is an <strong>open secret<\/strong> in the industry.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Agree_to_disagree\"><\/span><strong>Agree to disagree<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When people \"agree to disagree,\" they are peacefully ending a discussion by accepting that neither person will change their original opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>After arguing for hours about who the best footballer in history was, Lars and Sergio finally <strong>agreed to disagree<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Concrete_jungle\"><\/span><strong>Concrete jungle<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A \"concrete jungle\" is a large city. This is because just like real jungles, cities are often crowded, full of activity and sometimes danger as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>After 15 years in the <strong>concrete jungle<\/strong>, I decided to return to my rural hometown.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Related article: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/travel-fun\/big-apples-and-big-shoulders-nicknames-for-8-us-cities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Big Apples and Big Shoulders: Nicknames for 8 US Cities<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Oxymorons_in_Popular_Media\"><\/span><strong>Oxymorons in Popular Media<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"733\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/07\/31085508\/oxymorons_2-1024x733.jpg\" alt=\"The outside of a movie theater at night\" class=\"wp-image-9115\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/07\/31085508\/oxymorons_2-1024x733.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/07\/31085508\/oxymorons_2-300x215.jpg 300w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/07\/31085508\/oxymorons_2-768x550.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Movies\"><\/span><strong>Movies<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As we explained earlier, oxymorons can be very memorable. This is why they're often used as titles in film and television. Let's take a look at a few examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>True Lies<\/em> (1994)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This film is about a man who pretends to be a salesman with a boring desk job. In reality, however, he's a spy with a dangerous, exciting life.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His family knows nothing about his real work, so the lies he tells them every day aren't small, innocent lies \u2014 they are deep and very serious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Back to the Future<\/em> (1985)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the first film in a very popular series of science-fiction adventure movies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Naturally, the future is ahead of us, so going \"back\" to the future is a perfect example of an oxymoron. It's also a great title for a movie about traveling through time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Night of the Living Dead<\/em> (1968)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it was first released, people must have been confused by the title's strange combination of words. But \"living dead\" is actually a clever way to describe a <a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/travel-fun\/english-slang-for-online-dating\/#Zombieing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">zombie<\/a> \u2014 and this film is known as the original zombie movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>You Only Live Twice<\/em> (1967)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This film is part of the popular 007 series. The story involves James Bond traveling to Asia in order to investigate the disappearance of military spacecraft.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like usual, Bond encounters many dangerous situations that most people would not survive. The title may be a reference to the fact that Bond seems like he has more than one life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Music\"><\/span><strong>Music<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Oxymorons also appear frequently in the titles of songs. Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The Sound of Silence<\/em> - Simon &amp; Garfunkel (1964)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a famous song by a folk rock duo from the United States, and has been remade by different artists over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the mysterious title makes you curious, read the lyrics and use them as a study tool!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"video-responsive\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Simon &amp; Garfunkel - The Sounds of Silence (Audio)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l0q7MLPo-u8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The Tears of a Clown<\/em> - Smokey Robinson &amp; The Miracles (1967)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may wonder why clowns cry when their only job is making people laugh. But clowns are people just like everyone else, and everyone feels sad sometimes. Why might this clown be crying?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"video-responsive\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Smokey Robinson &amp; The Miracles - The Tears Of A Clown (Lyric Video)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/51B55OQysj8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Cold Fire<\/em> - Rush (1993)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rush is a rock band from Canada, and this song is about the difficulties of love and relationships. It ends with the dramatic line \"Love can turn to a long, cold burn.\"&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though the lyrics are poetic, the words are simple, so you can also use this song for your English study.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"video-responsive\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Cold Fire (2004 Remaster)\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pPe4JLEZg6Y?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Definitely Maybe<\/em> - Oasis (1994)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather than a song, this is the name of an album by the UK rock group Oasis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We use \"definitely\" when something is certain. On the other hand, we say \"maybe\" when things are <em>not<\/em> certain. Is the band 100% sure that something is not clear? Maybe!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"video-responsive\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Oasis - &#039;Definitely Maybe&#039; Deluxe 30th Anniversary Editions\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xmXj3SPqhk0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Wrap-up\"><\/span><strong>Wrap-up<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you have a strong understanding of words, you can begin to play with them in fun and interesting ways.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As we've shown in this article, combining words with opposite meanings can create unique expressions that catch your eye and stay in your memory. So keep your eyes open for oxymorons and you'll start to appreciate the power of opposites that come together.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Expressions like \"seriously funny\" and \"ladies' man\" are quite common in English. However, they may sound a little strange to learners. These terms are called \"oxymorons\" \u2014\u00a0expressions that combine words with opposite meanings for impact...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":432,"featured_media":9113,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"unified_meta_tagline_field":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[31,17],"class_list":["post-5837","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language-tips","tag-entertainment","tag-vocabulary"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Are Oxymorons? [Updated] | Engoo Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You might already use oxymorons without realizing it, but do you fully understand them and the reasons they&#039;re so common in English?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Are Oxymorons? [Updated] | Engoo Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"You might already use oxymorons without realizing it, but do you fully understand them and the reasons they&#039;re so common in English?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Engoo Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-04-07T01:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-07T01:00:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/04\/31091347\/oxymorons_caller_en-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"David\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"David\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":[\"Article\",\"BlogPosting\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"David\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/43c4049c9f2f669e9985f0ed34eec4af\"},\"headline\":\"What Are Oxymorons? [Updated]\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-07T01:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-07T01:00:01+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/\"},\"wordCount\":1224,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/04\/31084435\/what_are_oxymorons.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"entertainment\",\"Vocabulary\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Language Tips\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/\",\"name\":\"What Are Oxymorons? [Updated] | Engoo Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/04\/31084435\/what_are_oxymorons.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-07T01:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-07T01:00:01+00:00\",\"description\":\"You might already use oxymorons without realizing it, but do you fully understand them and the reasons they're so common in English?\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/04\/31084435\/what_are_oxymorons.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/04\/31084435\/what_are_oxymorons.jpg\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":1067,\"caption\":\"A slug riding on top of a toy sports car\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Engoo\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Language Tips\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/category\/language-tips\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"What Are Oxymorons? [Updated]\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Engoo Blog\",\"description\":\"Tips for English Learners\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Engoo\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/04\/30111438\/engoo-logo.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/04\/30111438\/engoo-logo.svg\",\"width\":1,\"height\":1,\"caption\":\"Engoo\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/43c4049c9f2f669e9985f0ed34eec4af\",\"name\":\"David\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\",\"caption\":\"David\"},\"description\":\"David was born and raised in the US. He's written for advertising companies, subtitled movies, and helped to localize Japanese video games for Western players. He loves music and exploring cities looking for vinyl records.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/author\/davidjiles\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Are Oxymorons? [Updated] | Engoo Blog","description":"You might already use oxymorons without realizing it, but do you fully understand them and the reasons they're so common in English?","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Are Oxymorons? [Updated] | Engoo Blog","og_description":"You might already use oxymorons without realizing it, but do you fully understand them and the reasons they're so common in English?","og_url":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/","og_site_name":"Engoo Blog","article_published_time":"2025-04-07T01:00:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-04-07T01:00:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/04\/31091347\/oxymorons_caller_en-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"David","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"David","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Article","BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/"},"author":{"name":"David","@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/43c4049c9f2f669e9985f0ed34eec4af"},"headline":"What Are Oxymorons? [Updated]","datePublished":"2025-04-07T01:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-04-07T01:00:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/"},"wordCount":1224,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/04\/31084435\/what_are_oxymorons.jpg","keywords":["entertainment","Vocabulary"],"articleSection":["Language Tips"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/","url":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/","name":"What Are Oxymorons? [Updated] | Engoo Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/04\/31084435\/what_are_oxymorons.jpg","datePublished":"2025-04-07T01:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-04-07T01:00:01+00:00","description":"You might already use oxymorons without realizing it, but do you fully understand them and the reasons they're so common in English?","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/04\/31084435\/what_are_oxymorons.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/04\/31084435\/what_are_oxymorons.jpg","width":1600,"height":1067,"caption":"A slug riding on top of a toy sports car"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/what-are-oxymorons\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Engoo","item":"https:\/\/engoo.com"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Language Tips","item":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/category\/language-tips\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"What Are Oxymorons? [Updated]"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/","name":"Engoo Blog","description":"Tips for English Learners","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Engoo","url":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/04\/30111438\/engoo-logo.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/04\/30111438\/engoo-logo.svg","width":1,"height":1,"caption":"Engoo"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/43c4049c9f2f669e9985f0ed34eec4af","name":"David","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog","contentUrl":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog","caption":"David"},"description":"David was born and raised in the US. He's written for advertising companies, subtitled movies, and helped to localize Japanese video games for Western players. He loves music and exploring cities looking for vinyl records.","url":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/author\/davidjiles\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5837","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/432"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5837"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5837\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11022,"href":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5837\/revisions\/11022"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5837"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5837"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5837"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}