antithesis

American  

[an-tith-uh-sis] / ænˈtɪθ ə sɪs /

noun

plural

antitheses

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

She felt compelled to create an in-person experience that was distinctly human — something true and personal — the antithesis of the digitally-saturated, fragmented and ephemeral world we live in, where truth is often opaque.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026

After a weekend where supporters enjoyed the FA Cup without VAR, this was the antithesis of the fans' football experience at St James' Park.

From BBC • Jan. 13, 2026

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

From MarketWatch • Dec. 29, 2025

Small-town independent theaters are the antithesis of the movie-theater corporatization that has exacerbated our national loneliness.

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2025

Her nightwear was the antithesis of Mami's: in fact, Carla looked almost dressed up in her prim cotton nightgown.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez