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The unexpected juxtaposition of ordinary objects is a hallmark of which art movement?

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juxtaposition

American  

[juhk-stuh-puh-zish-uhn] / ˌdʒʌk stə pəˈzɪʃ ən /

noun

• juxtapositions
  plural

1. 

   an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.

2. the state of being close together or side by side.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• juxtapositional
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• juxtapositions
  plural

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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. )

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

juxtaposition juxtapositions

It should have been a precursor to a gratifying final bill, one notable for its unusual juxtaposition: Elgar’s “Enigma” Variations followed by Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

I don’t know how to make those facts, that awful juxtaposition, clean, and I have stopped trying.

From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026

“I think the juxtaposition is the point,” Orchison said.

From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026

Meagan adds that she enjoys the juxtaposition of the "bravado" of ice hockey mixed with the characters' "vulnerability underneath".

From BBC ● May 30, 2026

This juxtaposition of his heart and mind gave him not only headaches but weird dreams.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

Julian Master is an American photographer who documents our globalized, connected public life and the sometimes strange juxtapositions it creates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

He provides the pictures and the juxtapositions; a viewer has to make the connections and draw the conclusions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 2, 2025

He followed it with a succession of intensely theatrical divertissements, often revolving around unexpected intellectual conceits or bizarre juxtapositions and featuring brilliant dialogue, puns, repartee, double meanings and misunderstandings.

From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2025

Occasionally we get a spare, clarifying voiceover about timelines and facts, but mostly Veiel lets his juxtapositions make the case, expertly stitched together by the editing team of Stefan Krumbiegel, Olaf Voigtlander and Alfredo Castro.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2025

The loveliest scenes, he found, were comprised of the simplest, most natural juxtapositions of native plants.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

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