contrast

[ verb kuhn-trast, kon-trast; noun kon-trast ]

/ verb kənˈtræst, ˈkɒn træst; noun ˈkɒn træst /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: contrast / contrasted / contrasting / contrasts on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to compare in order to show unlikeness or differences; note the opposite natures, purposes, etc., of: Contrast the political rights of Romans and Greeks.

verb (used without object)

to exhibit unlikeness on comparison with something else; form a contrast.

Linguistics. to differ in a way that can serve to distinguish meanings: The sounds (p) and (b) contrast in the words “pin” and “bin.”

noun

the act of contrasting; the state of being contrasted.

a striking exhibition of unlikeness.

a person or thing that is strikingly unlike in comparison: The weather down here is a welcome contrast to what we're having back home.

opposition or juxtaposition of different forms, lines, or colors in a work of art to intensify each element's properties and produce a more dynamic expressiveness.

Photography. the relative difference between light and dark areas of a print or negative.

Television. the brightness ratio of the lightest to the darkest part of the television screen image.

Linguistics. a difference between linguistic elements, especially sounds, that can serve to distinguish meanings.

OTHER WORDS FOR contrast

1 differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, oppose.

See synonyms for contrast on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about contrast

compare and contrast. See entry at compare and contrast.

Origin of contrast

First recorded in 1480–90; (verb) from Middle French contraster, from Italian contrastare “to contest,” from Latin contrā- contra-¹ + stāre stand; (noun) earlier contraste, from French, from Italian contrasto “conflict,” derivative of contrastare

OTHER WORDS FROM contrast

con·trast·a·ble, adjectivecon·trast·a·bly, adverbcon·trast·ing·ly, adverbqua·si-con·trast·ed, adjective

un·con·trast·a·ble, adjectiveun·con·trast·a·bly, adverbun·con·trast·ed, adjectiveun·con·trast·ing, adjectivewell-con·trast·ed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH contrast

compare, contrast

Words nearby contrast

contrarious, contrariwise, contrary, contrary motion, contrasexual, contrast, contrastive, contrastive stress, contrast medium, contrasty, contrasuggestible

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use contrast in a sentence

By contrast, no song from SSA has ever hit the 300 million mark.
The Biggest Challenge for Apple and Spotify in North Africa: YouTube|Eromo Egbejule|September 17, 2020|Ozy
Inhibited children, in contrast, avoided chances to make friends in new situations and to stand out academically or socially in school.
‘The Origins of You’ explores how kids develop into their adult selves|Bruce Bower|September 16, 2020|Science News
By contrast, the “deoptimized” coronavirus has several hundred genetic changes.
Synthetic biologists have created a slow-growing version of the coronavirus to give as a vaccine|David Rotman|September 16, 2020|MIT Technology Review
In contrast, Biden did not travel Tuesday to South Florida, where there are signs he is struggling with the Cuban American community.
Biden visits Florida as Democrats worry about his standing in the state|Sean Sullivan|September 15, 2020|Washington Post

By contrast, our death rate is roughly 58 per 100,000 Americans, more than five times Germany’s per capita toll.
America Is About to Lose Its 200,000th Life to Coronavirus. How Many More Have to Die?|by Stephen Engelberg|September 14, 2020|ProPublica
“After the New York mentality, it is the ultimate contrast to see people making things by hand,” he said.
The Photographer Who Gave Up Manhattan for Marrakech|Liza Foreman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In contrast, Boehner's leadership team filed into his ceremonial office and greeted the teary newly-elected Speaker with hugs.
Democrats Accidentally Save Boehner From Republican Coup|Ben Jacobs, Jackie Kucinich|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
By contrast, John McCain, the eventual GOP nominee, had raised approximately $12.7 million in the first quarter of 2007 alone.
Can Huckabee Convert the GOP’s Moneymen?|Lloyd Green|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In contrast to Paul, Huckabee has never palled around with Al Sharpton.
Can Huckabee Convert the GOP’s Moneymen?|Lloyd Green|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
By contrast, a gun will allow a pilot to attack hostile forces that are less than 300 feet from friendly ground forces.
New U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019|Dave Majumdar|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But the contrast thus presented is one that has acquired a new meaning in the age in which we live.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
In contrast to the Widal, it begins to fade about the end of the second week, and soon thereafter entirely disappears.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
This contrast implies a great wrong somewhere, and for which somebody must be responsible.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
The contrast between the open street and the enclosed stuffiness of the dim and crowded interior was overwhelming.
Hilda Lessways|Arnold Bennett
His life had been the strangest contrast to the calm countenance which I saw so tranquilly listen to its own tale.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various

British Dictionary definitions for contrast

contrast

verb (kənˈtrɑːst)

(often foll by with) to distinguish or be distinguished by comparison of unlike or opposite qualities

noun (ˈkɒntrɑːst)

distinction or emphasis of difference by comparison of opposite or dissimilar things, qualities, etc (esp in the phrases by contrast, in contrast to or with)

a person or thing showing notable differences when compared with another

(in painting) the effect of the juxtaposition of different colours, tones, etc

(of a photographic emulsion) the degree of density measured against exposure used
the extent to which adjacent areas of an optical image, esp on a television screen or in a photographic negative or print, differ in brightness

psychol the phenomenon that when two different but related stimuli are presented close together in space and/or time they are perceived as being more different than they really are

Derived forms of contrast

contrastable, adjectivecontrastably, adverbcontrasting, adjectivecontrastive, adjective

contrastively, adverb

Word Origin for contrast

C16: (n): via French from Italian, from contrastare (vb), from Latin contra- against + stare to stand

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

contrast

OTHER WORDS FOR contrast

Idioms about contrast

Origin of contrast

OTHER WORDS FROM contrast

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH contrast

Words nearby contrast

Words related to contrast

How to use contrast in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for contrast

Derived forms of contrast

Word Origin for contrast