paradox

PAH-ruh-doks

meaning in plain English

Picture a door that says "Do not enter" while it’s wide open. That’s a paradox – a claim that seems to contradict itself, so it can’t be simply true or false.

Think of a paradox as a "PAH-ruh-doks" puzzle: a statement that flips itself upside down.

for example

The fact that the richest people often feel the poorest is a paradox that economists love to discuss.

A paradox feels like a brain‑teaser that refuses to settle on one answer. It’s like hearing a story that tells you it’s a lie, leaving you stuck between true and false.