antithesis

noun an·tith·e·sis \ an-ˈti-thə-səs \

Definition of antithesis

plural antitheses play \-ˌsēz\

1 a :the direct opposite

Her temperament is the very antithesis of mine.

b (1) :the rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences (as in "action, not words" or "they promised freedom and provided slavery")

(2) :opposition, contrast

the antithesis of prose and verse

c :the second of two opposing words, clauses, or sentences that are being rhetorically contrasted

2 philosophy :the second stage of a dialectical process

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Examples of antithesis in a Sentence

In urban areas, middle schools often became the antithesis of what reformers had intended. Instead of warm incubators of independence and judgment, they became impersonal, oppressive institutions. —Claudia Wallis, Time, 8 Aug. 2005
Yet the newest residential rage in Dallas is the antithesis of the traditional neighborhood: the gated community. Depending on your income and level of anxiety, these private enclaves may contain golf courses, health clubs and equestrian centers … —Paul McFedries, Word Spy, 2004
Cato, who dosed his family on cabbage soup, derided Greek physicians as the antithesis of Roman virtue: they were frauds who cheated patients and 'have sworn to kill all barbarians with their drugs'. —Roy Porter, The Greatest Benefit to Mankind, 1997
true love for another is the antithesis of the desire to control that person's life

Recent Examples of antithesis from the Web

Rees-Mogg is the antithesis of Corbyn, and if the former was to become Conservative leader, the alternative visions of both parties would be starkly personified by the two men.

— jeff cimmino, National Review, "The Appeal of Jacob Rees-Mogg," 12 Aug. 2017
In an impassioned Instagram post, Lively expanded on her thoughts as to why Trump's decision is the antithesis of our country's values.

— devon ivie, Glamour, "Blake Lively Has Only Love for Her Instagram Trolls," 27 July 2017
Founded in 1970 as a one-day comic book convention, Comic-Con was the antithesis of arena-sized popularity.

— jen yamato, The Seattle Times, "Inside Comic-Con’s Hall H, the most important room in Hollywood," 19 July 2017
Founded in 1970 as a one-day comic book convention, Comic-Con was the antithesis of arena-sized popularity.

— jen yamato, latimes.com, "Inside Comic-Con's Hall H, the most important room in Hollywood," 19 July 2017
Wolf Fairfax District, $$$ The menu at low-key Wolf is the antithesis of Top Chef alum Marcel Vigneron’s foam-happy onscreen persona.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Los Angeles Magazine Hot Restaurant List for July 2017," 18 July 2017
Toomes is a perfect threat to the newbie spider-kid, a jilted average joe that has turned to crime out of a sort of coarse pragmatism, a menacing antithesis to Peter's naiveté.

— joshua rivera, GQ, "The Genius of Spider-Man: Homecoming's Big Twist," 12 July 2017
To believe that my important business is more important than others’ is the path of entitlement, the antithesis of any ideal of equality.

— michelle weber, Longreads, "Manspreading Writ Large: Rebecca Solnit on Space," 12 July 2017
In Warsaw, the president delivered the antithesis to the fallacious, appeasing lecture Obama preached to the Egyptians.

— victor davis hanson, National Review, "Trump’s Anti-Cairo Speech," 11 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'antithesis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Writers and speechmakers use the traditional pattern known as antithesis for its resounding effect; John Kennedy's famous "ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country" is an example. But antithesis normally means simply "opposite". Thus, war is the antithesis of peace, wealth is the antithesis of poverty, and love is the antithesis of hate. Holding two antithetical ideas in one's head at the same time—for example, that you're the sole master of your fate but also the helpless victim of your terrible upbringing—is so common as to be almost normal.