juxtapose
verb
jux·ta·pose
ˈjək-stə-ˌpōz 
juxtaposed; juxtaposing
: 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
J. F. T. Bugental
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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
Former friends of the couple describe Chenier as likable and quiet, certainly when juxtaposed with her husband—a dinner guest who didn’t quite get the point of other people talking.
—Ian Parker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Their grey hairs and perhaps softer physiques, things that many of us will be forced to reckon with over time, are juxtaposed with an athleticism that seems superhuman to someone acutely aware of how much even just sleeping wrong can hurt after a certain age.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
The director’s concern is juxtaposed with another scene that finds an executive interrupting a fan telling Charli that her music saved his life.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2025
Geometric lines and shapes of black juxtaposed the sheer elements of the dress on the bodice and skirt.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for juxtapose
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Ian Parker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Their grey hairs and perhaps softer physiques, things that many of us will be forced to reckon with over time, are juxtaposed with an athleticism that seems superhuman to someone acutely aware of how much even just sleeping wrong can hurt after a certain age.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
The director’s concern is juxtaposed with another scene that finds an executive interrupting a fan telling Charli that her music saved his life.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2025
Geometric lines and shapes of black juxtaposed the sheer elements of the dress on the bodice and skirt.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for juxtapose
Cite this Entry
“Juxtapose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/juxtapose. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
juxtapose
verb
jux·ta·pose
ˈjək-stə-ˌpōz
juxtaposed; juxtaposing
: to place side by side
juxtaposition
noun
ˌjək-stə-pə-ˈzish-ən
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