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
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
22 June 2026
The potentially outsized impact of this election was juxtaposed with the strange scene that unfolded when all the candidates gathered on Friday morning to hear the results.
—
James Cirrone,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
The intro sequence juxtaposes Paula’s frenzied prep for the party with her prep for a potential attack from anyone associated with Trevor’s murder.
—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
That, just maybe, shows how positive things have gone until this point, and makes a 1-4 road trip capped by an 8-1 beatdown by the Mets on Sunday in New York all that more glaring, juxtaposed with the team’s good form through the 66 games before then.
—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
15 June 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 25 Jun. 2026.
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juxtapose
verb
