4 syllables: con, tra, dic, tion. Stress on dic.
/ˌkɑntɹəˈdɪkʃən/
contradiction is pronounced /ˌkɑntɹəˈdɪkʃən/. It has four syllables (con-tra-dic-tion), with the stress on "dic". A statement or proposition that asserts the opposite of something else, presenting incompatible ideas or claims. In everyday use, it refers to a situation or argument in which two or more statements cannot all be true at the same time. The term is common in logic, debate, and critical discussion, often highlighting inconsistency between beliefs, statements, or evidence.
Say it backA statement or proposition that asserts the opposite of something else, presenting incompatible ideas or claims. In everyday use, it refers to a situation or argument in which two or more statements cannot all be true at the same time. The term is common in logic, debate, and critical discussion, often highlighting inconsistency between beliefs, statements, or evidence.
"His account contained contradictions that undermined his credibility."
"The data show a contradiction between the survey results and the interview responses."
"There is a contradiction between what she says and what she does."
/ˌkɒn.trəˈdɪk.ʃən/ in UK/US (US: /ˌkɑn.trəˈdɪk.ʃən/). Primary stress on the third syllable, with a clear /ˈdɪk/ in the middle and a final /ʃən/ ending. Position your tongue for /d/ followed by /ɪ/; the /k/ is a hard stop before /ʃ/; keep the /t/ light in most contexts. Audio previews: consult Pronounce or Cambridge audio for reference.
- Flattening the /ˌkɒn/ to a single syllable, making it /kon-truh/. - Misplacing the stress, saying /kon-truh-DIK-shən/ or /kon-truh-DIC-tion/. - Slurring /dɪk/ into /dɪk/ with poor articulation before /ʃən/. Correct by emphasizing the -dɪk- syllable and ensuring the /ʃ/ is clear. Listen to native speech to hear the /t/ release before /ʃ/ in careful pronunciation.
US tends to /kən.trəˈdɪk.ʃən/ with a rhotic accent and full /ɪ/ in the stressed syllable; UK often /kɒn.trəˈdɪk.ʃən/ with a shorter /ɒ/ and less rhotics in non-rhotic variants; Australian uses /ˌkɒn.trəˈdɪk.ʃən/ with broad vowel quality, slightly compound vowel sounds; all share the same syllabic sequence but vowel colors and rhoticity differ.
Two challenging features: the unstressed initial syllable /kən/ can reduce, blurring; and the cluster /dɪk.ʃən/ blends quickly, with a subtle /t/ release before /ʃ/. The /ˌkɒn/ vs /ˌkɒn/ differences can confuse learners, and stress on the third syllable creates a longer central heuristic. Focus on clear /dɪk/ and a crisp /ʃən/ to avoid slipping into /dɪkʃən/ or /dɪk.tʃən/.
No silent letters in standard pronunciation. Every letter corresponds to a sounded segment: con-trə-DIC-tion. The sequence /n/ and /t/ are audible; the /t/ usually releases before /ʃ/ in careful speech. In fast speech, the /t/ can be lightly released or assimilated, but it is not silent.
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- US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; preserve clear /ə/ in the second syllable; stress on the third syllable. - UK: often non-rhotic; /ɒ/ quality differs; ensure /t/ is released and /ʃən/ remains clear. - AU: broader vowels, /ɒ/ or /ɒː/ in first syllable; keep /t/ release in the middle; maintain the /ʃən/ at the end. - General IPA guidance: /ˌkɒn.trəˈdɪk.ʃən/; maintain three syllables with primary stress on the third; keep the /dɪk/ crisp and avoid conflating with /dɪkʃən/.
Contradiction comes from late Latin contradictio, from Latin contra (“against”) + dictio (“saying, speaking”). The root dice comes from dicere, meaning “to say.” The Latin term evolved into Old French contradiction, then Middle English, retaining the sense of speaking against or opposing a statement. The word entered English in the 13th–14th centuries as a legal and rhetorical term, originally tied to opposition in argument. Over time, its scope broadened to include any assertion that opposes another, and in modern usage it frequently appears in philosophical, scientific, and political discourse as a label for inconsistent or mutually exclusive propositions. The stress pattern remained consistent with “con” and “tra” building the main emphasis on the second syllable through standard English pronunciation, with the suffix -tion functioning as a nominalizer that hitches to the final syllable. The term’s usage expanded with formal debates and the growth of formal logic, solidifying its place in both academic and everyday language as a precise term for opposing statements or claims.
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Words that rhyme with "contradiction"
-ion sounds
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