Standard Lemma guide

self-contradictory

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Containing multiple claims or ideas that are inherently in disagreement; of something or someone that contradicts itself.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • The statement “We agree to disagree on everything” is self-contradictory.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: self-consistent

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

in disagreement- John Morley

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the figures are at odds with our findings
  • contradictory attributes of unjust justice and loving vindictiveness

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: at odds(p), conflicting, contradictory

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

seemingly contradictory but nonetheless possibly true

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • it is paradoxical that standing is more tiring than walking

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: paradoxical

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *swé? Proto-Indo-European *selbh-der. Proto-Germanic *selbaz Old English self Old English self- Middle English self- English self- English contradictory English self-contradictory From self- + contradictory.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: вътрешно противоречив (vǎtrešno protivorečiv) — statements that contradict themselves
  • Chinese Mandarin: 自相矛盾 (zìxiāngmáodùn) — statements that contradict themselves
  • Finnish: sisäisesti ristiriitainen — statements that contradict themselves
  • French: contradictoire — statements that contradict themselves
  • French: qui se contredit — statements that contradict themselves
  • German: selbstwidersprüchlich — statements that contradict themselves
  • German: in sich selbst widersprüchlich — statements that contradict themselves
  • Hungarian: önellentmondó — statements that contradict themselves
  • Japanese: 自己撞着の (jiko dōchaku no) — statements that contradict themselves
  • Japanese: 自己矛盾した (jiko mujun shita) — statements that contradict themselves
  • Norwegian Bokmål: selvmotsigende — statements that contradict themselves
  • Polish: wewnętrznie sprzeczny — statements that contradict themselves
  • Romanian: autocontradictoriu — statements that contradict themselves
  • Swedish: självmotsägande — statements that contradict themselves