juxtaposed

American  

[juhk-stuh-pohzd, juhk-stuh-pohzd] / ˈdʒʌk stəˌpoʊzd, ˌdʒʌk stəˈpoʊzd /

adjective

1. placed or appearing close together or side by side, especially with an arresting or surprising effect, or in a way that invites comparison or contrast.

   The director handles the juxtaposed strands of the movie deftly, interweaving psychological intrigue with smartly observed comedy.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of juxtapose.

Etymology

Origin of juxtaposed

juxtapose ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

Put two objects next to each other and they're juxtaposed: placed side-by-side to emphasize their contrast. An art exhibit might have the paintings of one period juxtaposed with those from another to emphasize how different the two periods were. The word juxtaposed comes from the Latin juxta, meaning "next" and the French poser, meaning "to place." When two objects are juxtaposed, they are placed next to each other, or side-by-side for comparison. It doesn't just have to be objects. After a guest manager's style was juxtaposed with your normal manager, you decided to look for a new job.

Example Sentences

Meanwhile, the other dwelling, named Casa Bahia, is more contemporary, having been built in 2015 as a “modernist structure” that is uniquely juxtaposed with its tropical surroundings.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 14, 2026

In many ways, they are fundamentally juxtaposed to each other.

From Salon • Dec. 13, 2025

The two Wales teams train side-by-side at a hotel complex west of Cardiff, a pristine rugby paddock juxtaposed with a football pitch.

From Barron's • Nov. 20, 2025

That mentality is juxtaposed by the popular Boca motto 'transpira a la camiseta', which means to 'make the shirt sweat'.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2025

The honor came at an awkward time for it was juxtaposed against an announcement that seemed to call the award itself into question.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• adjacent
• contiguous
• neighboring