juxtapose
verb
J. F. T. Bugental
Did you know?
Is juxtapose a back-formation?
Although it doesn’t feature the word juxtapose, a classic segment from a 1969 episode of Sesame Street perfectly illustrates the essence of the verb. In it, the character Bob (as played by actor Bob McGrath) sings the catchy song “One of These Things (Is Not Like the Others)” in front of a display that juxtaposes—that is, places near one another for comparison—four items: an apple, an ice cream cone, a hamburger, and a mitten. The song asks its audience to consider their similarities and differences before deciding which is the most different (spoiler alert: it’s the mitten). The word juxtapose is likely a back-formation of the noun juxtaposition, which appropriately enough combines the Latin adjective juxta meaning “near” with the English word position. The use of juxtapose isn’t limited to tangible objects, however—images, ideas, concepts, and more are frequently juxtaposed.
Examples of juxtapose in a Sentence
Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
In the album’s most stunning moment, Petras juxtaposes her own disappointment at the building’s destruction against her father’s shuttered expectations that his child might grow up to be his son.
—Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 2 June 2026
McKenney juxtaposed the campaign’s background with those of Corson and Holscher in a statement on Monday.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2026
The concept of juxtaposing this style with stereotypically macho coal miners was revisited when RuPaul hosted the show in 2020 – resulting in a second coal-miner sketch that wound up cut for time.
—Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for juxtapose
Cite this Entry
“Juxtapose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/juxtapose. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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juxtapose
verb
