juxtaposition
noun
jux·ta·po·si·tion
| \ ˌjək-stə-pə-ˈzi-shən
\
\
Definition of juxtaposition
: the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side often to compare or contrast or to create an interesting effect
an unusual juxtaposition of colors
also
: the state of being so placed
contrasting shapes placed in juxtaposition to each other
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Other Words from juxtaposition
juxtapositional
\ ˌjək-stə-pə-ˈzish-nəl
, -ˈzi-shə-nᵊl \
adjective
, -ˈzi-shə-nᵊl \
adjective
Examples of juxtaposition in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
George, in her fourth solo show at the gallery, has a series of paintings in which serene renderings of sunsets and surf spots are paired with ones of natural disaster — juxtapositions of Mother Nature at her most tame and her most fiery. — Los Angeles Times, "Datebook: A show about the Santa Monica Airport at the Santa Monica Airport," 30 Aug. 2019 Couples in flip flops and sundresses play cornhole on the deck against a backdrop of the breezy salty, working harbor — a juxtaposition of gritty fishing boats and pristine islands. — Alexandra Hall, BostonGlobe.com, "Serving up splendor Downeast," 5 Aug. 2019 This is what war looks in America, a surreal juxtaposition of familiar logos and brand names and a now all-too-familiar display of police response. — Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, "What perpetual war looks like in America," 4 Aug. 2019 The poignancy of this leap lies in its juxtaposition of the emotional with the theoretical; the modes are indistinguishable for Valerie, and come to feel the same to us. — Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, "“Valerie” Is an Extraordinary Love Letter to a Radical Feminist," 1 Aug. 2019 But China’s rapid development in the past 40 years can easily explain the juxtaposition: While the values may be the same, their implications have changed dramatically. — Rong Xiaoqing, National Review, "The Rise of the Chinese-American Right," 17 July 2019 People laugh at the juxtaposition of incompatible concepts and at defiance of their expectations—that is, at the incongruity between expectations and reality. — Giovanni Sabato, Scientific American, "What’s So Funny? The Science of Why We Laugh," 26 June 2019 That juxtaposition is exactly what makes the whole situation so incredibly jarring. — Andrea Reiher, refinery29.com, "What Does Midsommar Actually Mean? (You Know, Beyond The Obvious)," 3 July 2019 The juxtaposition of a gymnast — one of the smallest athletes in sports against a football player, one of the biggest — makes for an arresting visual. — Dvorameyers, Longreads, "The Gymnast’s Position," 5 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'juxtaposition.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for juxtaposition
juxtaposition
noun
jux·ta·po·si·tion
| \ ˌjək-stə-pə-ˈzish-ən
\
\
Medical Definition of juxtaposition
: the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side
also
: the state of being so placed
Other Words from juxtaposition
juxtapose
\ ˈjək-stə-ˌpōz
\
transitive verb
juxtaposed;
juxtaposing
\
transitive verb
juxtaposed;
juxtaposing
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