dialectic.

1. A way of examining ideas through questioning and the engagement of opposing positions.

2. A process of change driven by the tension or interaction between opposing forces or ideas.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• Socratic dialectic
• dialectic of opposing ideas

On the page

The seminar used dialectic to test the assumptions both groups shared.

Usage notes

Primary category: analysis / argumentation / evidence. Forms: Countable or uncountable by context; countable singular dialectic; plural dialectics. 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: analysis, synthesis. Commonness: moderately common.