juxtapose

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verb jux·ta·pose \ ˈjək-stə-ˌpōz \

Definition of juxtapose

juxtaposed; juxtaposing

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

See juxtapose defined for English-language learners

See juxtapose defined for kids

juxtapose was our Word of the Day on 04/25/2016. Hear the podcast!

Examples of juxtapose in a Sentence

a display that juxtaposes modern art with classical art

Recent Examples of juxtapose from the Web

Drawing explicit parallels in his first play, A Bright Room Called Day, Tony Kushner juxtaposes the rise of Hitler’s regime with the Reagan years.

— aaron carico, Teen Vogue, "5 Ways Fascism Has Existed in America Since the 1700s," 28 Aug. 2017
The Chargers’ failure to fill the StubHub Center on Sunday—especially when juxtaposed again last summer’s Rams preseason debut—

— SI.com, "First and 10: On Leonard Fournette’s Comments, the Lions’ Developing Leader and More," 19 Aug. 2017
Much of Tyler's career has revolved around complex beats juxtaposed with his staccato, almost deadpan delivery.

— ira madison iii, GQ, "Has Tyler, the Creator Earned His Redemption?," 26 July 2017
The area inside it, which is about the size of a square mile, is filled with traditional pubs and alleyways, juxtaposed by a backdrop of bankers in suits flooding into skyscrapers.

— jessica brown, Longreads, "Searching London for My ‘Third Place’," 18 July 2017
Fendi’s Roman opulence and Soho’s industrial history might not seem like an obvious match, but the store juxtaposes the two aesthetics beautifully, pairing textural design elements with concrete and bricks salvaged from old New York buildings.

— lindsay peoples, The Cut, "Fendi Just Opened a Lavish New Soho Store," 18 July 2017
At one point, the guys emerge from a costume change in so much blue denim (with Wahlberg’s overall shorts easily the most embarrassing of the get-ups) to recite cheesy introductions as their live images are juxtaposed next to school-age pics.

— théoden janes, charlotteobserver, "Review: The New Kids are a lot more grown up than you might think," 14 July 2017
Old memories are juxtaposed with what’s going on in my life now.

— tarpley hitt, Philly.com, "Idina Menzel remembers her first time in Philly, and she gets why you might hate musicals," 10 July 2017
Valued at a more modest $3 million, Untitled (2013), a sculpture by Wool, rests in a flowerbed at Buckingham Plaza North, where the globular tangle of bronze wire is juxtaposed against the rococo-style Buckingham Fountain.

— james steinbauer, chicagotribune.com, "Along Chicago's Lakefront Trail, an open-air museum," 22 June 2017

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

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 think juxtapose is a back-formation that was created when people trimmed down the noun juxtaposition. Historical evidence supports the idea: juxtaposition was showing up in English documents as early as 1654, but juxtapose didn't appear until 1851. Juxtaposition is itself thought to be a combination of Latin juxta, meaning "near," and English position.

Origin and Etymology of juxtapose

probably back-formation from juxtaposition

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First Known Use: 1851

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JUXTAPOSE Defined for English Language Learners

juxtapose

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verb

Definition of juxtapose for English Language Learners

: to place (different things) together in order to create an interesting effect or to show how they are the same or different

Learn More about juxtapose

See words that rhyme with juxtapose Spanish Central: Translation of juxtapose Nglish: Translation of juxtapose for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of juxtapose for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

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juxtapose

Definition of juxtapose

juxtapose was our Word of the Day on 04/25/2016. Hear the podcast!

Examples of juxtapose in a Sentence

Recent Examples of juxtapose from the Web

Is juxtapose a Back-formation?

Origin and Etymology of juxtapose

JUXTAPOSE Defined for English Language Learners

juxtapose

Definition of juxtapose for English Language Learners

Learn More about juxtapose

Seen and Heard

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juxtapose

Definition of juxtapose

Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd

juxtapose was our Word of the Day on 04/25/2016. Hear the podcast!

Examples of juxtapose in a Sentence

Recent Examples of juxtapose from the Web

Is juxtapose a Back-formation?

Origin and Etymology of juxtapose

JUXTAPOSE Defined for English Language Learners

juxtapose

Definition of juxtapose for English Language Learners

Learn More about juxtapose

Seen and Heard

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