juxtaposition

noun

jux·​ta·​po·​si·​tion ˌjək-stə-pə-ˈzi-shən How to pronounce juxtaposition (audio)
: the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side often to compare or contrast or to create an interesting effect
an unusual juxtaposition of colors
also : the state of being so placed
contrasting shapes placed in juxtaposition to each other
juxtapositional
ˌjək-stə-pə-ˈzi-sh(ə-)nəl
 How to pronounce juxtaposition (audio)
adjective

Examples of juxtaposition in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The juxtaposition isn’t as clean, but still, there’s enough boldness to carry it off. David Sims, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2024 The hard exterior/soft music juxtaposition of 4batz’s videos has clearly been effective. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 These women had amazing ’50s pin-curl hairdos and incredible muscular physiques, and the visual juxtaposition was intriguing to me. Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2024 But the period-clashing juxtapositions didn’t end with the clothes. Jemal Polson, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 Effectively a work of collage, the oral history must find unity through arrangement and juxtaposition, the recontextualizing of untethered quotes. Michelle Orange, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2024 That juxtaposition could be because men and boys are less likely to seek medical attention for their mental health, the researchers said. Ayana Archie, NPR, 27 Feb. 2024 Was the juxtaposition sending a message of some sort, or just coincidental? Chris Willman, Variety, 25 Feb. 2024 The juxtaposition here of magical realism and hard realism, jarring at first, is emotionally overpowering. Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Latin juxta near + English position — more at joust

First Known Use

1654, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of juxtaposition was in 1654

Dictionary Entries Near juxtaposition

Cite this Entry

“Juxtaposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/juxtaposition. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

juxtaposition

noun
jux·​ta·​po·​si·​tion ˌjək-stə-pə-ˈzish-ən How to pronounce juxtaposition (audio)
: the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side
also : the state of being so placed
juxtapose transitive verb
juxtaposed; juxtaposing
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!