antithetical
Americanadjective
-
of the nature of antithesis
-
directly contrasted
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of antithetical
First recorded in 1575–85; from Greek antithetikós “setting in opposition, contrasting” (from antíthetos “opposed”) + -al; see origin at antithesis ( def. ), -tic ( def. ), -al 1 ( def. ).
Explanation
Something is antithetical when it is in complete and utter opposition to the character of something. If you’re a vegetarian, eating giant T-bone steaks is antithetical to your beliefs. You’ll find that antithetical is a useful word when you’re trying to express an extreme contrast. If someone is trying to convince you to do something you don’t believe in, or to allow an organization you’re involved with to adopt measures you are strongly against, you can use antithetical. You go out to vote because sitting out of the voting process is antithetical to what you believe in. If you find that your club wants to adopt exclusive measures when it is supposed to be open, you'll tell them that that's antithetical to the club's purpose.
Vocabulary lists containing antithetical
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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Opposites Attract
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30 GRE Words Beginning with "A"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Louisiana acknowledged that the treatment of Landor by prison guards was "antithetical to religious freedom" and amended its prison grooming policy.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
Still, fans of A24’s output are unnerved by the foray into AI, believing the deal is antithetical to the trendy studio’s creative-first marketing.
From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026
For Christina Lila Wilson, 39, who spent her summers in West L.A. with Iranian relatives until she moved as a teenager, the U.S. treatment of the team is antithetical to her cultural values.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2026
A Ford spokesman said the company is committed to protecting its home market, adding that any deal providing a Chinese automaker with an onramp to the U.S. market would be antithetical to that approach.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
Many Kikongo words resemble English words backward and have antithetical meanings: Syebo is a horrible, destructive rain, that just exactly does not do what it says backward.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
