antithesis

American  

[an-tith-uh-sis] / ænˈtɪθ ə sɪs /

noun

antitheses plural

1. opposition; contrast.

   the antithesis of right and wrong.

2. the direct opposite (usually followed by of orto ).

   Her behavior was the very antithesis of cowardly.

   Synonyms:

   reverse, opposite

3. Rhetoric.

   1. the placing of a sentence or one of its parts against another to which it is opposed to form a balanced contrast of ideas, as in “Give me liberty or give me death.”

   2. the second sentence or part thus set in opposition, as “or give me death.”

4. Philosophy. Hegelian dialectic

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antithesis British  

/ ænˈtɪθɪsɪs /

noun

1. the exact opposite

2. contrast or opposition

3. rhetoric the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, phrases, or words so as to produce an effect of balance, such as my words fly up, my thoughts remain below

4. philosophy the second stage in the Hegelian dialectic contradicting the thesis before resolution by the synthesis

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Other Word Forms

• self-antithesis
  noun

Etymology

Origin of antithesis

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin, from Greek: “opposition,” from anti(ti)thé(nai) “to oppose” + -sis -sis; equivalent to anti- + thesis

Explanation

An antithesis is the complete opposite of something. Though the counterculture was strong in America in 1968, voters elected Richard Nixon, the antithesis of a hippie. The noun antithesis comes from a Greek root meaning "opposition" and "set against." It's often used today when describing two ideas or terms that are placed in strong contrast to each other. We might come across antithesis in school if we learn about the "Hegelian dialectic." There, the thesis, or main idea put forward in an argument, is countered with its opposite idea — the antithesis — and the two are finally reconciled in a third proposition, the synthesis. An antithesis wouldn't exist without a thesis because it works as a comparison.

Example Sentences

Because skipping songs on a player was a hassle, most people sat with cassette albums as a track-by-track, linear journey, the antithesis to the algorithmic, shuffle-centric playlists ubiquitous on today’s streaming platforms.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

Some noncoastal ad firms as a result are more aggressively pitching themselves as the friendly antithesis to faceless, famous agencies, now embracing rather than apologizing for their lack of metropolitan elitism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

The show is the complete antithesis to what is happening in the rest of the streaming world, where Hollywood's biggest actors are regularly cast in high-budget productions designed for the small screen.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

“That is the antithesis of how we invest. We are underweight AI and data-center stocks.”

From MarketWatch • Dec. 29, 2025

In disposition, she was Pollard’s antithesis, governing her life with rigid reserve as he scattered his passions.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand