contrast

verb con·trast \ kən-ˈtrast , ˈkän-ˌtrast \

Updated on: 12 May 2018

Definition of contrast

transitive verb

: to set off in contrast : compare or appraise in respect to differences

Contrast European and American manners.

Contrast the two major characters of the novel.

—often used with to or with

contrasting the painter with her contemporaries

intransitive verb

: to form a contrast

—

contrastable

play \kən-ˈtra-stə-bəl, ˈkän-ˌtra-\ adjective

—

contrastingly

play \kən-ˈtra-stiŋ-lē, ˈkän-ˌtra-\ adverb

See contrast defined for English-language learners

See contrast defined for kids

Examples of contrast in a Sentence

Her black dress and the white background contrast sharply.
We compared and contrasted the two characters of the story.

Recent Examples of contrast from the Web

Sigmund Rogich, a former assistant to President Bush and Ambassador to Iceland, contrasted Barbara Bush with another popular first lady, Jackie Kennedy.

— peter grier, The Christian Science Monitor, "'A real rock:' The one-of-a-kind warmth and steel of Barbara Bush," 18 Apr. 2018
Acknowledging that a lot of people are shocked by his fundraising prowess, Ganim contrasted himself with other Democrats, who are trying to reach the $250,000 threshold by the party’s convention.

— neil vigdor, courant.com, "Joe Ganim Tops $500K Fundraising Haul In Governor's Race," 3 Apr. 2018
This early scene encapsulates the dichotomy constantly at play in Trust: such enormous wealth, contrasted with such astounding miserliness.

— refinery29.com, "Was J. Paul Getty Really That Cheap?," 26 Mar. 2018
These bolder elements contrast nicely with white cabinets and a dark gray refrigerator.

— lauren ro, Curbed, "Neutral colors make this apartment a calming oasis," 22 Mar. 2018
The amount of post-Harvey government testing contrasts sharply with what happened after two other major Gulf Coast hurricanes.

— CBS News, "Hurricane Harvey's toxic impact deeper than public told," 22 Mar. 2018
Activist Shaun King contrasted the shooting to the arrest of Dylann Roof, the Charleston church shooter who was not only taken alive, but also given Burger King by police officers.

— christianna silva, Teen Vogue, "Stephon Clark Was Black and Unarmed; Police Shot at Him 20 Times," 21 Mar. 2018
The writers, relatively complete Final Jeopardies in hand, are then chosen for their uniqueness when contrasted with the rest of the game that day.

— john wenz, Popular Mechanics, "How To Write a Jeopardy Clue," 19 Mar. 2018
In his performance Luciano contrasts songs that have rich and complex harmonies and melodies with simple rhythms.

— Lake County News-Sun, "Calendar," 15 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of contrast

French contraster, from Middle French, to oppose, resist, alteration of contrester, from Vulgar Latin *contrastare, from Latin contra- + stare to stand — more at stand

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1646

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

contrast Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of contrast

compare, contrast, collate mean to set side by side in order to show differences and likenesses. compare implies an aim of showing relative values or excellences by bringing out characteristic qualities whether similar or divergent.

- compared the convention facilities of the two cities

contrast implies an emphasis on differences.

- contrasted the computerized system with the old filing cards

collate implies minute and critical inspection in order to note points of agreement or divergence.

- data from districts around the country will be collated

contrast

noun con·trast \ ˈkän-ˌtrast \

Definition of contrast

1 a : juxtaposition of dissimilar elements (such as color, tone, or emotion) in a work of art

b : degree of difference between the lightest and darkest parts of a picture

2 a : the difference or degree of difference between things having similar or comparable natures

the contrast between the two forms of government

b : comparison of similar objects to set off their dissimilar qualities

By contrast with newer models, the computer operates slowly.

: the state of being so compared

In contrast to the other estimates, his was very high.

3 : a person or thing that exhibits differences when compared with another

The gentle girl is a contrast to the arrogant woman.

See contrast defined for English-language learners

Examples of contrast in a Sentence

I observed an interesting contrast in the teaching styles of the two women.
Careful contrast of the twins shows some differences.
In contrast to last year's profits, the company is not doing very well.
The queen's wit and humor made the prince seem dull by contrast.
They spent millions of dollars on advertising. By way of contrast, our small company spent under 5,000 dollars.

Recent Examples of contrast from the Web

NextGen has budgeted $100,000 for the primary, a spokeswoman said, and has sent voter guides in the mail that highlight the contrasts on those issues with Edwards and Wild.

— andrew seidman, Philly.com, "Pa. Dem congressional candidate is 'Trumpish' on immigration. Will the party stop him?," 8 May 2018
Think of the contrast present in a company like Uber, which employs computer engineers in Silicon Valley on six-figure salaries, but also hundreds of thousands of drivers working hours for uncertain rewards.

— james vincent, The Verge, "Welcome to the automated warehouse of the future," 8 May 2018
But Murai’s eye and staging and Glover’s performance are together so stylish and surreal that the message is made newly raw. Jarring use of empty space, contrast, and timing keep every frame stark and alive.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Donald Glover Is Watching You Watch Him," 7 May 2018
Patel and the musicians captured its subtle contrasts, mood swings and Expressionist aggression in an earnest performance.

— christian hertzog, sandiegouniontribune.com, "La Jolla Symphony and Sameer Patel delight with 20th century masterpieces," 7 May 2018
Directed by TheatreWorks Artistic Director Robert Kelley, Davis and Herndon ably emphasize the pair’s contrasts.

— lily janiak, San Francisco Chronicle, "Glass half empty (or is it half full) in the Marsh’s ‘Two Minds’," 7 May 2018
Which brings up another worldview that these types of compare-and-contrast, then-and-now-style exhibits tend to promote.

— connie wang, refinery29.com, "The Met Got The Catholic Fashion Story Wrong," 7 May 2018
Here's the lowdown on what's worth knowing ahead of Saturday's match: Previous Encounter The duo's fortunes were in complete contrast to now in late November as Southampton thumped a sorry looking Everton side 4-1 on the south coast.

— SI.com, "Everton vs Southampton Preview: Past Meeting, Recent Form, Team News, Prediction & More," 4 May 2018
Children of color with disabilities are overrepresented within the special education population, and the contrast in how frequently they are disciplined is even starker.

— valerie strauss, Washington Post, "Are too many minority students identified as disabled? Or are some who need services overlooked?," 4 May 2018