California Teacher Credentialing Examination (CSET) 2026 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Question: 1 / 2010

What is an oxymoron?

A form of paradox in which contradictory words are used next to each other

An oxymoron is defined as a figure of speech in which two contradictory or opposing words are placed in close proximity to each other, often to create a new or unique meaning. This rhetorical device highlights the complexity of a situation or concept by juxtaposing contradictory terms, thus inviting deeper thought or a re-examination of an idea. For example, phrases like "deafening silence" or "bittersweet" illustrate how contrasting words can combine to convey a nuanced emotional state.

While the other options each describe different literary devices—like the use of repeated phrases or the attribution of human traits to non-human entities—they do not encapsulate the specific nature of an oxymoron, which is fundamentally about the juxtaposition of opposites to provoke thought or illustrate a paradox.

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A structural device involving repeated phrases

A humorous mimicry of another serious work

An attribution of human qualities to non-human entities

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