juxtapose

verb

jux·ta·pose ˈjək-stə-ˌpōz

juxtaposed; juxtaposing

Synonyms of juxtapose next

transitive verb

: 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

Did you know?

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 The relaxed location will have several food and beverage options, a wellness facility, spa, and guest bedrooms, which will all be juxtaposed against the area’s lush natural settings, primed for hiking and biking. —

Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2023 Scenes of his parents getting married and doting on young Apollo are juxtaposed with shots of him as an adult, filmed naked, alone and encircled by blocks of ice. —

Suzy Exposito, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2023 With Craig, the seriousness of chasing that dream is juxtaposed with his acts of desperation to get rich quickly. —

Jason Asenap, Variety, 16 Aug. 2023 The story is also juxtaposed to current day through the experience of an actress who’s filming a movie based on a book about a woman pilot. —

Tiffany Dodson, Harper's BAZAAR, 9 Aug. 2023 The facade of having it all together (with decent suits and a confident demeanor) was juxtaposed with the real-world uncertainty about where my next meal would come from. —

Dilip Rao, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2023 The elements were, in the designer's mind, worth keeping as long as they were juxtaposed against a fresh rethink of the decorative personality. —

Krissa Rossbund, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023 The Sinta Quartet of four saxophones opens up the 2023 Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival with a free concert that juxtaposes funk, folk, and minimalism with Beethoven and Bach. —

Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 19 July 2023 The provisional bliss juxtaposed with grievous finality. —

Jeff Weiss, Spin, 21 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'juxtapose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.