by contrast

American

[bahy kon-trast] / ˌbaɪ ˈkɒn træst /

idiom

(used when making a comparison to something strikingly different from what was previously mentioned).

Theater costumes must be viewed from a distance; film, by contrast, is all about close-ups.

Etymology

Origin of by contrast

First recorded in 1780–90

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.

See Examples For:

by contrast

Carbon that does become buried in seafloor sediments, by contrast, can remain locked away for millions of years, accumulating over vast stretches of time.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026

The wedding of the second version of Taylor, by contrast, was a monument to her own arrested development.

From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026

Tech giants, by contrast, are cutting their workforces to support higher spending on AI.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026

Washington, by contrast, has banned Chinese-linked connected-vehicle technology outright, with enforcement phasing in from 2027.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

Golomb, by contrast, tries to be more selective.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023