juxtaposition

American  

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

noun

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

• juxtapositional adjective

Etymology

Origin of juxtaposition

First recorded in 1655–65; from French, from Latin juxtā “near, bordering, side by side” + French position position; joust ( def. )

Example Sentences

It’s a book that, in juxtaposition to “Brats,” charts “the private, personal sort of friendship.”

From Los Angeles Times

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

The striking juxtaposition of South and North American financial centers is an attention-grabbing look at the ubiquity of American culture and capital.

From The Wall Street Journal

“He would say things that put things in juxtaposition because his mind just wandered in various ways.”

From The Wall Street Journal

"Obviously, if you're saying really funny things, but trying to have a serious conversation, that can be quite a difficult juxtaposition," she says.

From BBC