What Is an Oxymoron?

By jamie

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10. Deafening Silence

Something that is deafening is something that is so loud that it means you cannot hear anything else, or even that it can cause damage to your ears. This then means that the term “deafening silence” is an oxymoron. After all, how can you be deafened by something or somebody that is making no sound?

The term is used to describe situations where you should expect there to be sound, and the lack of sound suggests something ominous or revealing. For example, if you were to ask other people what they thought of what you were wearing, an unwillingness to answer can reveal that their thoughts are not complimentary.

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