when incongruous or contradictory terms appear side by side.

When incongruous or contradictory terms appear side by side, it is called an "oxymoron." An oxymoron is a figure of speech where two opposing or contradictory terms are placed together for effect. This combination highlights a paradoxical or unexpected relationship between the terms, making the phrase striking or thought-provoking. For example, phrases like "bittersweet" or "deafening silence" are oxymorons because they unite contradictory ideas side by side. The term "incongruous" more generally means something that is strange or out of place because it does not conform with what is usual or expected. When incongruous or contradictory terms are juxtaposed in a phrase, it often creates this oxymoronic effect—terms that seem mismatched or contradictory but are used together intentionally for expression.