Confession. I don't understand a very common phrase even after googling...

[OverthinkingOlive]

Oxymoron. I don't get it? Please can somebody explain? I'm in a professional role and I own a house but for fuck sake I just don't get it.

A nice nightmare? Is that the kind of thing it means?

Jeeze. This whole thread is more confusing than helpful. Especially as that half the people trying to explain the term clearly don't understand it themselves!

But are 'pretty ugly' or 'terribly happy' proper oxymorons? Seems to me the first word is acting as a qualifier and has more than one meaning.

How about happily married?! 😁

They used it incorrectly, and were being a dick.

"Same difference"

That's what I said.

To my knowledge oxy means sharp and moron means blunt is Latin(?) maybe. Unless it’s Welsh where I think moron means carrot.

But as others have said it’s a statement that contradicts itself.

I don't think "seriously funny" is an oxymoron. Seriously is being used to mean "very" in this sense.
Maybe by official grammar definition it would be, but I wouldn't use that term to demonstrate what an oxymoron is.

My favourite oxymoron is military intelligence.

Jumbo shrimp.

Might you have said something like "unloveable dog"? Some might see that as an oxymoron, on the basis that they consider all dogs to be lovable.

Also, sometimes people use words incorrectly, so it really isn't worth overthinking something that might be an error to start with!

“Ryanair customer service” is my best example.

A nice Tory.

I haven't read every reply but I remembered how I learned the meaning-
One bright day in the middle of the night,
two dead men got up to fight.
Back to back they faced each other,
pulled out their swords and shot each other.
A deaf policeman heard the noise,
came and killed those two dead boys.
If you don't believe what I say is true,
go ask the blind man, he saw it too.

Was just about to say this! I'm an English teacher and these are NOT oxymorons, neither is "seriously funny".

Two words with opposite meaning used together to describe a thing, often pointedly:
cruel kindness
bitter sweet
mainstream indie-filmmaker
deafening silence
organized chaos

Oh, I've not heard that quote before, but can understand the sentiment... I'll quickly get my coat and run for the hills!

They're just being snotty and implying that everyone loves dogs.

Bitter sweet

Compassionate Conservativism?

The example we were given at school was ‘cold sun’

I’d say that ‘somewhat unique’ was an example of an oxymoron.

@TheNoodlesIncident Nope. Pretty and jolly just substitute 'very' in those circumstances. And a minor miracle just means a small miracle, though obviously not literally a miracle.

They might not intended nastiness, they might have meant that they had you down as a dog person - perhaps you present as an animal lover or they felt you were/are a stereotypical dog lover so they were surprised.

"That's ironic" might have been a better response, but it depends on the context.

Either way, if they did say "That's an oxymoron" in rhe way that I suggested, then either:

1. they were stretching the definition for a conversational/observational/potentially humorous point
2. they used it entirely incorrectly, have no idea what it actually means and you've been confused all this time for no reason

Examples & explainers:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zy3gkhv/revision/6

https://poemanalysis.com/figurative-language/oxymoron/

https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/revision-notes/gcse/english-language/aqa/2-1-7-oxymoron

www.savemyexams.com/learning-hub/glossary/what-is-an-oxymoron/

I think Milton in Paradise Lost talks of "darkness visible".
My DP sadly thinks "humankind" is also an oxymoron.