What do two words placed side by side that contradict each other represent?

The term that refers to two words placed side by side that contradict each other is an oxymoron. This figure of speech brings together contradictory concepts to create a new, often thought-provoking meaning. For example, phrases like "deafening silence" or "bittersweet" highlight how juxtaposing opposing ideas can enhance themes or emotions in literary works.

In contrast, a pun is a form of wordplay that exploits multiple meanings of a term or similar-sounding words for humorous or rhetorical effect. A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes an implied comparison between two unlike things, suggesting that one is the other, while a simile explicitly compares two different things using "like" or "as." Understanding these definitions clarifies why the term oxymoron is the correct response in this context.