paradoxical
adjectiveUK /ˌpærəˈdɒksɪkəl/
US /ˌpærəˈdɑːksɪkəl/
Something that seems to say two opposite things at once, but might still be true.
It is paradoxical that the more he tried to relax, the more nervous he became.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. Seeming to go against common sense or what people normally expect.
Her paradoxical calm during the emergency surprised everyone.
3. Involving a statement that sounds impossible but may contain a hidden truth.
The paradoxical claim that less can be more made the class think hard.
4. Having qualities that appear to disagree with each other.
He had a paradoxical mix of shyness and boldness.