In popular usage, the term oxymoron is sometimes used more loosely, in the sense of a simple contradiction in terms. Often, it is then applied to expressions which, unlike real oxymora, are used in full earnest and without any sense of paradox by many speakers in everyday language. Calling such an expression an oxymoron is sometimes done in order to disparage its use, by drawing attention to a perceived inherent contradiction and thus claiming it to be nonsensical. Often this kind of argument is used in domains of political or ideological dispute, or in order to criticize a perceived non-sensical use of technical terms by lay people who fail to understand their true meaning.
Some are,
anarchy rules
almost exactly
athletic scholarship
constant variable
definite maybe
detailed summary
dry ice
elevated subway
exact estimate
found missing
forced resignation
forever's end
forward lateral
friendly fire
genuine imitation (& genuine replica, etc.)
guest host (and permanent guest host, a rare "triple" oxymoron)
jumbo shrimp
justifiable paranoia
limited omniscience
liquid gas
living dead
local long-distance
loud silence (& deafening silence etc.)
mandatory option
modest magnificence
mournful optimist
only choice
open secret
original copy
plastic silverware
rolling stop (driving)
scatter-hoarder
stopmotion
sweet sorrow
synthetic natural gas
true lies
virtual reality
wireless cable
working vacation
These are not really oxymora; they sound like a contradiction but aren't, often because of multiple possible meanings of one of the words.
Active retirement
Adult children
Advanced BASIC
Agree to disagree
Alone together
Artificial Life
Awfully good
Baby grand (piano)
Barely dressed
Black light
Burning cold
Charm offensive
Civil war
Clearly misunderstood
Cold sweat
Constant change
Creative destruction
Dodge Ram
Drawing a blank
Fine mess
Freezer burn
Fresh Frozen
Full-time hobby
Good Grief
Growing smaller
Hard water
Hopelessly optimistic
Idiot savant
Infinite number
Jumbo shrimp
Lengthy brief
Live recording
Living dead
Minor disaster
Near miss
New and improved
New tradition
Non-dairy creamer
Old news
Original Research
Partial ceasefire
Partially completed
Passive aggressive
Peace force
Poor little rich girl
Pretty ugly
Radio show
Random order
Same difference
Self-help
Seriously funny
Sinfully good
Small crowd
Small fortune
Spectator sport
Standard deviation
Standard options
Static variable
Terribly good
Tight slacks
Totally partial (to something)
Twelve-ounce pound cake
Unbelievably real
Unsalted saltine
Young adult
Intelligently stupid
Open code
Cheerful pesimist
Some more;
50. Act naturally
49. Found missing
48. Resident alien
47. Advanced BASIC
46. Genuine imitation
45. Airline Food
44. Good grief
43. Same difference
42. Almost exactly
41. Government organization
40. Sanitary landfill
39. Alone together
38. Legally drunk
37. Silent scream
36. British fashion
35. Living dead
34. Small crowd
33. Business ethics
32. Soft rock
31. Butt Head
30. Military Intelligence
29. Software documentation
28. New York culture
27. New classic
26. Sweet sorrow
25. Childproof
24. "Now, then..."
23. Synthetic natural gas
22. Christian Scientists
21. Passive aggression
20. Taped live
19. Clearly misunderstood
18. Peace force
17. Extinct Life
16. Temporary tax increase
15. Computer jock
14. Plastic glasses
13. Terribly pleased
12. Computer security
11. Political science
10. Tight slacks
9. Definite maybe
8. Pretty ugly
7. Twelve-ounce pound cake
6. Diet ice cream
5. Rap music
4. Working vacation
3. exact estimate
2. Religious tolerance
1. Microsoft works
C u later
posted by Dhana @ Thursday, June 22, 2006
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