Or Oxyori?

Oxymoron is one of my favorite words. It’s almost like onomatopoeia, since the word suggests its meaning. But we usually think of an oxymoron as a phrase, like army intelligence or double solitaire.

The word oxymoron is an oxymoron. “Oxy means “sharp” or “pointed” and “moron” means “dull” or foolish”.

Below is a list of some common oxymora, some of which we use so often we don’t even think of them as an oxymoron.

By the way, oxymoron is the singular form, and oxymora is the plural form. This is despite the fact that oxymorons is used much more frequently and I have never heard anyone use the word oxymora. I think I will stick with oxymorons. Oxymori might be even better.

Act naturally
Alone in a crowd
Almost done (or almost ready)
Approximately equal
Auto pilot
Benign tumor
Blurry vision
Casual dress
Civil war
Dim light
Escaped inmate
Evaporated milk
Exact estimate (or firm estimate)
Found missing
Free rent
Friendly fire
Front end
Gold silverware (or plastic silverware)
Going nowhere
Graduate student
Half empty (or half full or half naked)
Head butt (or butthead)
Hot chili
Ill health (or bad health)
Initial conclusion
Inside out
Larger half
Liquid gas
Live recording (or taped live)
Low altitude
Never again (or once again)
Objective opinion (or unbiased opinion)
100% chance
One choice (or only choice)
Original copy (or single copy or only copy)
Old news
Paper tablecloth
Partially completed
Peace force
Plastic glasses
Problem solved
Real polyester (or real potential)
Recent history (or modern history)
Re-create
Resident alien
Safe bet (or sure bet)
Science fiction
Sit up
Still moving
Serious fun
Slow speed
Toll free
True story
Unfunny joke
Virtual reality
Whole part (or whole piece)
Young adult (or adult children)

My favorite oxymoronic sentence is the page text: “This page is intentionally left blank”

But my favorite oxymoron is: “wilderness management” .