juxtaposition
Americannoun
-
an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.
-
the state of being close together or side by side.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of juxtaposition
First recorded in 1655–65; from French, from Latin juxtā “near, bordering, side by side” + French position position; cf. joust ( def. )
Explanation
If a waiter served you a whole fish and a scoop of chocolate ice cream on the same plate, your surprise might be caused by the juxtaposition, or the side-by-side contrast, of the two foods. Any time unlike things bump up against each other, you can describe it as a juxtaposition. Imagine a funeral mourner telling jokes graveside, and you get the idea — the juxtaposition in this case is between grief and humor. Juxtaposition of two contrasting items is often done deliberately in writing, music, or art — in order to highlight their differences.
Vocabulary lists containing juxtaposition
Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - Introductory
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The AP English Exam: Rhetorical and Literary Terms 1
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Reading: Literature - Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - Middle School
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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.
It’s less juxtaposition for juxtaposition’s sake and more an accurate reflection of the breakneck duality of living in a place like L.A.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
The juxtaposition is jarring -- and entirely normal here.
From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026
Common throughout the show is the juxtaposition of art that holds out optimistic visions of technology’s possibilities with works that put forward more depressing perspectives about the harms it can entail.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
A string of three defeats has led to familiar questions surrounding Borthwick's suitability to lead England amid a three-year reign of jarring juxtaposition.
From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026
The juxtaposition of these two remarks was startling.
From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
