antithetical

adjective

an·ti·thet·i·cal ˌan-tə-ˈthe-ti-kəl

variants or less commonly antithetic

ˌan-tə-ˈthe-tik

Synonyms of antithetical next

: being in direct and unequivocal opposition : directly opposite or opposed

… some see the idea of a museum for rock & roll as antithetical to the music's rebellious ethic …—

Al Weisel

: constituting or marked by antithesis

antithetical conflict

antithetically

ˌan-tə-ˈthe-ti-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Did you know?

Antithetical and antithesis come from Greek antitithenai ("to oppose"). The oldest sense of antithesis refers to a language pattern that contrasts parallel ideas, as in "action, not words" or "they promised freedom and provided slavery," and antithetical originally referred to anything that was marked by such antithesis. For example, you could say "The phrase 'action, not words' is an antithetical construction." It is more common, however, for antithesis to mean "the exact opposite" and for antithetical to mean "directly opposite."

Choose the Right Synonym for antithetical

opposite, contradictory, contrary, antithetical mean being so far apart as to be or seem irreconcilable.

opposite applies to things in sharp contrast or in conflict.

opposite views on foreign aid

contradictory applies to two things that completely negate each other so that if one is true or valid the other must be untrue or invalid.

made contradictory predictions about whether the market would rise or fall

contrary implies extreme divergence or diametrical opposition.

contrary assessments of the war situation

antithetical stresses clear and unequivocal diametrical opposition.

a law that is antithetical to the very idea of democracy

Examples of antithetical in a Sentence

the antithetical forces of good and evil spiritual concerns and ideals that are antithetical to the materialism embraced by modern society

Recent Examples on the Web Those two approaches seem to be antithetical in a trade scenario involving the two teams and Higgins. —

Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 3 Apr. 2024 Some employees and customers saw Merrill’s rebrand as antithetical to the brand’s founding ethos of inclusion. —

Jasmine Li, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024 Some critics said a few of the honorees were antithetical to what the justice stood for. —

Minho Kim, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 But some feel the backlash over a personal choice — particularly one related to health — can be unwarranted and antithetical to the mission of body positivity. —

Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 24 Feb. 2024 Purposeful tanking would be antithetical to that goal. —

Rahat Huq, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 A little chutzpah never hurt anybody, but a founder with more confidence than knowledge is antithetical to successful company building. —

Tom Chavez, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 Any Black artist fighting for a place in country or rock, two genres their predecessors have been pushed out of, is antithetical to the core of both traditions, which were built upon the rich history of blues and folk music. —

Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2024 The source went as far as to criticize the conservative climate group Curtis founded as antithetical to the GOP’s approach to the environment. —

Nancy Vu, Washington Examiner, 14 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'antithetical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.