kənˈtræst 
British
kənˈtrɑːst
contrasts; contrasted; contrasting
1
: to be different especially in a way that is very obvious
Her black dress and the white background contrast sharply.
—often + withHer black dress contrasts sharply with the white background.
Her actions contrasted with her promises.
2
: to compare (two people or things) to show how they are different
We compared and contrasted the two characters of the story.
—often + with or toHis essay contrasted his life in America with/to life in India.
ˈkɑːnˌtræst
British ˈkɒnˌtrɑːst
plural contrasts
1
: something that is different from another thing
—+ to
Today's weather is quite a contrast to yesterday's. [=today's weather is very different from yesterday's weather]
2
: a difference between people or things that are being compared
I observed an interesting contrast in/between the teaching styles of the two women.
We talked about the contrasts between his early books and his later books. [=the ways in which his early and later books are different]
His comments were in stark/marked/sharp contrast with/to his earlier statements. [=his comments were very different from his earlier statements]
3
: the act of comparing people or things to show the differences between them
Careful contrast of the twins shows some differences.
In contrast to/with 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.
4
: the difference between the dark and light parts of a painting or photograph
a painting with a lot of contrast
She was wearing a black dress, so the photographer suggested using a white background for contrast.
Cite this Entry
“Contrast.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/contrast. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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