symphrase

/ˈsɪmfreɪz/

Definitions

1. noun

A phrase or expression that is used to represent the opposite or contradictory meaning of a given word or phrase.

“The politician’s statement was a clever symphrase of what her opponent had previously said.”

2. verb

To express or convey a meaning that is opposite or contradictory to the original sense of a word or phrase.

“The satirist symphrased the politician’s statement to highlight its hypocrisy.”

Synonyms

  • antiphrasis
  • oxymoron

Antonyms

  • pleonasm
  • tautology