juxtapose
verb
jux·ta·pose
ˈjək-stə-ˌpōz 
juxtaposed; juxtaposing
: 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
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
This exhibition will juxtapose garments and works of art from across the museum’s collection, creating pairings that will illuminate the connection between clothing and the body, as well as the interplay between artistic representations of the body and fashion as an art form.
—Jane Levere, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2026
Scenes from some of the Robert Pearson character’s old movies are done in a 1940s Hollywood style using young actors that resemble James Dean or Robert Mitchum juxtaposed with the stark, solemn, isolated existence of the elderly Pearson.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Karaban’s sticking power is a fascinating dynamic when juxtaposed with the changing climate in college basketball.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
The staging of their wedding on Monday is immediately juxtaposed with the deaths of Mercutio (played flamboyantly, and with a penchant for mooning, by Kasper Hilton-Hille) and Tybalt (Aruna Jalloh).
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for juxtapose
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jane Levere, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2026
Scenes from some of the Robert Pearson character’s old movies are done in a 1940s Hollywood style using young actors that resemble James Dean or Robert Mitchum juxtaposed with the stark, solemn, isolated existence of the elderly Pearson.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
Karaban’s sticking power is a fascinating dynamic when juxtaposed with the changing climate in college basketball.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
The staging of their wedding on Monday is immediately juxtaposed with the deaths of Mercutio (played flamboyantly, and with a penchant for mooning, by Kasper Hilton-Hille) and Tybalt (Aruna Jalloh).
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 1 Apr. 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 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
juxtapose
verb
jux·ta·pose
ˈjək-stə-ˌpōz
juxtaposed; juxtaposing
: to place side by side
juxtaposition
noun
ˌjək-stə-pə-ˈzish-ən
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
