juxtapose

verb

jux·​ta·​pose ˈjək-stə-ˌpōz 

juxtaposed; juxtaposing

transitive verb

: to place (different things) side by side (as to compare them or contrast them or to create an interesting effect)

juxtapose unexpected combinations of colors, shapes and ideas

—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

a display that juxtaposes modern art with classical art

Recent Examples on the Web

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

The title also conveys the fluid, organic nature of watercolor, juxtaposed with cold, hard, non-living metal. —Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024

Throughout, the rooms are enchantingly staged and juxtaposed with artistic references; one features, dresses spanning soft and vivid hues are weightlessly suspended while the famous video of dancer Loïe Fuller by the Lumière brothers captures the unbridled possibilities of billowing fabric. —Amy Verner, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024

The typical assortment of high-end stainless Thermador appliances and a textured metal-look backsplash are juxtaposed against the groovy dark hardwood custom cabinetry. —James McClain, Robb Report, 18 Mar. 2024

It was juxtaposed with a blocky marble and terrazzo chair by the 1980s-era Memphis Group designer Ettore Sottsass, who oversaw the design of Gastou’s gallery and whose radical, irreverent work the dealer affectionately likened to a punch in the face. —Aimee Farrell, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024

While only a little more than half of the respondents said the government should regulate AI, this data point should be juxtaposed with the majority’s clear support of government regulation in specific areas or use case scenarios. —Carlos Ignacio Gutierrez, IEEE Spectrum, 7 Mar. 2024

The GOP frontrunner devoted a significant portion of his address to juxtaposing his record on race and his demonstrations of commitment to Black Americans with President Joe Biden’s. —Shaun Harper, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024

There’s something really haunting about the joy of that song juxtaposed with Margaret snapping out of the moment. —Hunter Ingram, Variety, 27 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably back-formation from juxtaposition

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

juxtapose

verb

jux·​ta·​pose ˈjək-stə-ˌpōz 

juxtaposed; juxtaposing

: to place side by side

juxtaposition

ˌjək-stə-pə-ˈzish-ən

noun