juxtaposition

American  

[juhk-stuh-puh-zish-uhn] / ˌdʒʌk stə pəˈzɪʃ ən /

noun

1. an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.

2. the state of being close together or side by side.

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Other Word Forms

• juxtapositional adjective

Etymology

Origin of juxtaposition

First recorded in 1655–65; from French, from Latin juxtā “near, bordering, side by side” + French position position; joust ( def. )

Example Sentences

Eliot was creating a new type of poetry from stylistic juxtapositions, “Louis Armstrong, way down the river in New Orleans, was working out a similar technique for jazz.”

From The Wall Street Journal

“The juxtaposition of an acceleration in business spending alongside a material softening in job growth is unprecedented in the global economy over the past quarter-century,” they wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal

And there are plenty of hybrid creatures, apocalyptic nightmares, strange juxtapositions and drooping abnormalities of the melting-watch variety.

From The Wall Street Journal

The juxtaposition serves as a reminder of the timeless plights of teenagerhood.

From The Wall Street Journal

Further, the juxtaposition of the idealized Norman Rockwellesque holiday feast brought to mind by the image’s Christmas decor and the reality of the restaurant’s affordable but less heartfelt meal introduces a melancholy air.

From The Wall Street Journal