juxtapose
verb
J. F. T. Bugental
Did you know?
Is juxtapose a back-formation?
A back-formation is a word that has come about through the removal of a prefix or a suffix from a longer word. Etymologists believe juxtapose is a back-formation that was created when people trimmed down the noun juxtaposition. Historical evidence supports the idea: juxtaposition shows up in the 17th century and juxtapose in the 19th. Juxtaposition is a combination of Latin juxta, meaning "near," and English "position."
Examples of juxtapose in a Sentence
Lindsey Tramuta, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2024
The artwork, which juxtaposes a nocturnal lamplit street with a serene daylit sky, is one of the most celebrated and enigmatic images in 20th-century art.
—Scott Reyburn, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Brenner juxtaposes her work preserving what’s beautiful and precious for clients against her mother’s aging and decline, a period during which old grudges fade and their relationship softens.
—Longreads, 19 Apr. 2024
For a cozier take on the trend, Wilkinson juxtaposed bunked setups with low-slung daybeds.
—Kelsey Mulvey, Sunset Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024
Ruscha’s painting juxtaposes that epic event with a giant yellow and blue product logo for the spiced ham luncheon meat, looming above.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2024
Five paintings, all large squares with black backgrounds, acutely juxtapose life and loss.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
And speaking of that clash of worldviews, find someone who loves you like this show loves to ironically juxtapose scenes of despair or stylized, gory violence with upbeat or wistful Forties and Fifties pop songs.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2024
The film depicts the German family's mundane daily activities, juxtaposed by the atrocities of the Holocaust happening just over the fence.
—Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'juxtapose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near juxtapose
Cite this Entry
“Juxtapose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/juxtapose. Accessed 6 May. 2024.
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juxtapose
verb
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