contrast

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

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 show striking difference when compared with or viewed alongside something else: Youth leadership on the issue contrasts with government inaction.The blue of the wood trim contrasts nicely with the pale yellow walls.
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

a striking difference: The study revealed interesting contrasts between people who regularly read books and those who don't.
a person or thing that is strikingly different in comparison: The weather down here is a welcome contrast to what we're having back home.

opposition or juxtaposition of different formal elements in a work of art, music, or literature to intensify each element's properties and make the work more dynamically expressive: The artist makes effective use of color contrast in the illustrations.There’s a stark contrast of tempo in the sonata’s two movements.
the act of comparing people or things so as to draw attention to striking differences between them: Each essay topic involves the contrast of two of the novels studied in the course.
Photography. the relative difference between light and dark areas of a print, digital photograph, or negative.
the brightness ratio of the lightest to the darkest part of the screen image on a television, computer, or other electronic device.
Linguistics. a difference between linguistic elements, especially sounds, that can serve to distinguish meanings.

Idioms about contrast

by contrast. See entry at by contrast.
compare and contrast. See entry at compare and contrast.

in contrast, in comparison to something that is the opposite or strikingly different in some respect: In contrast to personal computers, which are rare in that country, cell phones are widely available and even most children have their own.
stand in contrast to / with, to show a striking difference when compared to or with: The actor’s on-screen gun violence stands in contrast to her real-life persona as an advocate for gun control.

Origin of contrast

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

Other words for contrast

1	differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, oppose

See synonyms for contrast on Thesaurus.com

Other words from contrast

con·trast·a·ble, adjective
con·trast·a·bly, adverb
con·trast·ing·ly, adverb
qua·si-con·trast·ed, adjective
un·con·trast·a·ble, adjective
un·con·trast·a·bly, adverb
un·con·trast·ed, adjective
un·con·trast·ing, adjective
well-con·trast·ed, adjective

Words that may be confused with contrast

compare, contrast

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

How to use contrast in a sentence

DoorDash and Airbnb, by contrast, became dominant in their sectors by focusing on places where there was little if any competition.
DoorDash and Airbnb prove corporate giants can scale in small towns | Felix Salmon | November 20, 2020 | Axios
By contrast, “Nation to Nation” a text-heavy show that you might have felt rushed to take in before, has plenty of ideas and information to fill an entire visit.
You have until Nov. 22 to visit these six Smithsonian museums. Here’s what to expect. | Kelsey Ables | November 19, 2020 | Washington Post
The encouraging report arrived in sharp contrast to bleak news about the pandemic.
Pfizer says its coronavirus vaccine is safe and 95% effective and that it will seek regulatory review within days | Carolyn Y. Johnson, Laurie McGinley | November 19, 2020 | Washington Post
By contrast, Democrats will control the redistricting of, at most, 73 seats, or 17 percent.
Republicans Won Almost Every Election Where Redistricting Was At Stake | Nathaniel Rakich (nathaniel.rakich@fivethirtyeight.com) | November 18, 2020 | FiveThirtyEight
In contrast, by monkeying with LWCF budgets, Bernhardt is threatening thousands of good-paying jobs in the outdoor recreation industry right now, in the middle of the worst economic recession in living memory.
DOI Harms Environmental Protections Until the End | Wes Siler | November 17, 2020 | Outside Online

A scarf and bag in contrasting shades and patterns enhanced this busy, but feminine, look.
Art Takes the Runway at Burberry Prorsum Fall/Winter 2014 London Fashion Week | Liza Foreman | February 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
At best, contrasting the campaign to the government was akin to “comparing apples and oranges.”
Obama’s 2012 Campaign Prepped for Disaster. Obamacare Didn’t. | Lloyd Green | October 23, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
The show centers on two detectives with contrasting world views who must clean up the streets of Battle Creek, Mich.
What’s Next For The ‘Breaking Bad' Cast: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, and More | Marlow Stern | September 30, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Such an interesting social commentary— contrasting the hippie Jagger and the buttoned-up gangster.
Tom Hiddleston On His Rocker-Vampire in ‘Only Lovers Left Alive,’ ‘Thor 2,’ and ‘Avengers 2’ | Marlow Stern | September 7, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Those sharp political differences lead to contrasting parenting styles.
If You Grow Up Indian-American, College Graduation Isn’t Enough | Anita Raghavan | May 31, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
ThusPg 175 again we had the opportunity of contrasting the motor car and the railway train.
British Highways And Byways From A Motor Car | Thomas D. Murphy
He could not help contrasting the difference between his environments here and those in Orangeville.
A California Girl | Edward Eldridge
The pedestal 219 is good, and worthy of a more convincing statue of this man of strong character and of contrasting qualities.
The Stones of Paris in History and Letters, Volume I (of 2) | Benjamin Ellis Martin
He is contrasting the feebleness and fickleness of the multitude with the strength and stability of John.
Expositor's Bible: The Gospel of Matthew | John Monro Gibson
Besides the tap-room crowded with men there was a parlor in which women of fashion walked about, contrasting with the place.
Lazarre | Mary Hartwell Catherwood

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

Origin of contrast

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

Derived forms of contrast

contrastable, adjective
contrastably, adverb
contrasting, adjective
contrastive, adjective
contrastively, adverb

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

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