antithesis

American  

[an-tith-uh-sis] / ænˈtɪθ ə sɪs /

noun

• antitheses
  plural

1. opposition; contrast.

   the antithesis of right and wrong.

2. the direct opposite (usually followed by of orto ).

   Her behavior was the very antithesis of cowardly.

   Synonyms:

   reverse, opposite

3. Rhetoric.

   1. the placing of a sentence or one of its parts against another to which it is opposed to form a balanced contrast of ideas, as in “Give me liberty or give me death.”

   2. the second sentence or part thus set in opposition, as “or give me death.”

4. Philosophy. Hegelian dialectic

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antithesis British  

/ ænˈtɪθɪsɪs /

noun

1. the exact opposite

2. contrast or opposition

3. rhetoric the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, phrases, or words so as to produce an effect of balance, such as my words fly up, my thoughts remain below

4. philosophy the second stage in the Hegelian dialectic contradicting the thesis before resolution by the synthesis

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-antithesis
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• antitheses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of antithesis

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin, from Greek: “opposition,” from anti(ti)thé(nai) “to oppose” + -sis -sis; equivalent to anti- + thesis

Explanation

An antithesis is the complete opposite of something. Though the counterculture was strong in America in 1968, voters elected Richard Nixon, the antithesis of a hippie. The noun antithesis comes from a Greek root meaning "opposition" and "set against." It's often used today when describing two ideas or terms that are placed in strong contrast to each other. We might come across antithesis in school if we learn about the "Hegelian dialectic." There, the thesis, or main idea put forward in an argument, is countered with its opposite idea — the antithesis — and the two are finally reconciled in a third proposition, the synthesis. An antithesis wouldn't exist without a thesis because it works as a comparison.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

antithesis antitheses

“This here is the antithesis of the raids last year,” said Sandra De Anda, who wore a Stetson and a Tigres Mexican soccer club jersey and waved a South Korea flag.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026

For every idea, Höttges insisted on considering the antithesis as well.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

While Chinese robots have produced some impressive displays, external, they have taken place in highly controlled or structured environments – the antithesis of real-world warfare.

From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026

LGBTQ+ people are not a problem for Christians to manage, and their lives are not the antithesis of American values.

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026

Her nightwear was the antithesis of Mami's: in fact, Carla looked almost dressed up in her prim cotton nightgown.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

To illuminate his dark subject matter, Fiedler adopts a punchy, aggressive prose replete with antitheses, exclamation marks, capitalized terminology and bold generalizations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

Historians now usually interpret the French Revolution in terms of actions and reactions, theses and antitheses.

From Slate ● Oct. 24, 2022

After all, Marriotts, student centers and airport lounges are designed to be antitheses of the intimidation often associated with classical music.

From New York Times ● Oct. 13, 2022

Lancaster had been seen as the antitheses of predecessor Martin Johnson: one a big name but never before a coach, the other an outsider who had coached his way up from the grassroots.

From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2015

Sentence is bound to sentence with repeated words—“conceive,” “dedicate,” “consecrate”— and with the antitheses of “we” and “they,” “living” and “dead.”

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith