contradiction.

A conflict between assertions that cannot both be true in the same respect.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• direct contradiction
• contradiction in testimony

On the page

The dates create a contradiction in the witness's account.

Usage notes

Primary category: analysis / argumentation / evidence. Forms: Countable or uncountable by context; countable singular contradiction; plural contradictions. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: argumentation, evidence, inference. Commonness: common.