juxtaposition
noun
jux·ta·po·si·tion
ˌjək-stə-pə-ˈzi-shən 
: 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
The juxtaposition of Holly's career with the content of her podcast might leave audience members scratching their heads.—
Nick Kasmik
Nick Kasmik
also
: the state of being so placed
contrasting shapes placed in juxtaposition to each other
A five-minute ferry ride from Brooklyn and Manhattan, [Governor's Island] feels distant yet impossibly close, and the juxtaposition of vertical city and languorous landscape is almost surreal. —Justin Davidson
Justin Davidson Examples of juxtaposition in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Often, that makes for a hilarious juxtaposition with the work of the show’s production designer Sharon Lomofsky, who brilliantly captures the absurdity of certain vacation destinations like a barbecue restaurant a stone’s throw from the remote Upstate New York hotel the characters are staying at.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 3 June 2026
There is a particularly potent juxtaposition in the story of Anacostia residents’ struggle to receive full citizenship in the shadow of the nation’s capital, one that requires us to interrogate the halls of power.
—Camille Borders, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
The juxtaposition of glossy and matte papers satisfied the papyrophile in Nilsson while adding a chewy subtext for viewers.
—Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026
Through these juxtapositions and serendipitous encounters, they are given agency to make their own connections, setting up a challenging tension and offering a new paradigm for museums.
—Time, 2 June 2026
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Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 3 June 2026
There is a particularly potent juxtaposition in the story of Anacostia residents’ struggle to receive full citizenship in the shadow of the nation’s capital, one that requires us to interrogate the halls of power.
—Camille Borders, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
The juxtaposition of glossy and matte papers satisfied the papyrophile in Nilsson while adding a chewy subtext for viewers.
—Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026
Through these juxtapositions and serendipitous encounters, they are given agency to make their own connections, setting up a challenging tension and offering a new paradigm for museums.
—Time, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for juxtaposition
Cite this Entry
“Juxtaposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/juxtaposition. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
juxtaposition
noun
jux·ta·po·si·tion
ˌjək-stə-pə-ˈzish-ən
: the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side
also
: the state of being so placed
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