juxtaposition

American  

[juhk-stuh-puh-zish-uhn] / ˌdʒʌk stə pəˈzɪʃ ən /

noun

1. an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.

2. the state of being close together or side by side.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• juxtapositional
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of juxtaposition

First recorded in 1655–65; from French, from Latin juxtā “near, bordering, side by side” + French position position; cf. joust ( def. )

Explanation

If a waiter served you a whole fish and a scoop of chocolate ice cream on the same plate, your surprise might be caused by the juxtaposition, or the side-by-side contrast, of the two foods. Any time unlike things bump up against each other, you can describe it as a juxtaposition. Imagine a funeral mourner telling jokes graveside, and you get the idea — the juxtaposition in this case is between grief and humor. Juxtaposition of two contrasting items is often done deliberately in writing, music, or art — in order to highlight their differences.

Example Sentences

Meagan adds that she enjoys the juxtaposition of the "bravado" of ice hockey mixed with the characters' "vulnerability underneath".

From BBC • May 30, 2026

The resulting juxtaposition offers a stark symbol of the economic fallout from the Iran war: Sailors are stuck on ships loaded with tens of millions of dollars worth of fertilizer, yet are left rationing food.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

“It’s a constant reminder. And there’s that juxtaposition of experiencing something here that’s very important, but life is also happening right outside.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

The juxtaposition is jarring -- and entirely normal here.

From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026

Fittingly, it falls to me, as someone who so awkwardly carried the label, to question it now, its juxtaposition of terms—minority, student.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez