juxtapose

IPA/ˌdʒʌkstəˈpəʊz/
KK[dʒˌʌkstəpˈoz]IPA/ˌdʒʌkstəˈpəʊz/

juxtapose — verb

  • juxtaposepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • juxtaposeshe / she / it
  • juxtaposedpast simple
  • juxtaposing-ing form

1. to place two different people, objects, or ideas side by side so that their diff

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to place two different people, objects, or ideas side by side so that their differences or connections become clear — for example, putting a modern glass building next to a historic stone church to make the contrast in style stand out.

Example

The museum exhibition juxtaposes ancient Greek sculptures with modern digital art installations.

juxtaposes [noun] with [noun] — contrasting old and new

Director Ayana Noor juxtaposes busy city scenes with calm countryside shots in her new film.

Common collocations
  • juxtapose [A] with [B]
  • juxtapose [A] and [B]
  • juxtapose [A] against [B]
  • deliberately juxtapose
  • strikingly juxtapose
  • juxtapose ... to create contrast
Synonyms
  • compare

    broader — comparison can be mental without physical placement; 'juxtapose' implies literal or structural side-by-side positioning

  • contrast

    overlapping — 'contrast' can be done through description alone, while 'juxtapose' requires placing items together to create the contrast

  • set side by side

    more literal and less formal; 'juxtapose' carries an analytical or artistic tone

Antonyms
  • separate

    to keep things apart rather than placing them together

  • isolate

    to single out one thing on its own instead of pairing it with another

Grammar Patterns

juxtapose + noun + with/and/against + noun

Usage Note

Typically found in formal or analytical contexts — art criticism, architectural reviews, comparative studies, and academic essays. The subject is often a person (artist, writer, critic, director) or a creative work (exhibition, film, essay, photograph). The object is almost always a pair of items linked by 'with', 'and', or 'against'.

Common Mistakes

The essay juxtaposes the two ideas.
The essay juxtaposes the author's early promises with the later outcomes.
'juxtapose' requires both items to be named and placed side by side for contrast; it is not a one-object synonym for 'compare'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Juxtapose', 'compare', and 'contrast' all involve looking at two things together, but they differ in how they do it. 'Compare' is the broadest and most common — you can compare prices in your head without laying the items out. 'Contrast' focuses on differences, and you can contrast two things through argument or description alone. 'Juxtapose' is the most specific: it requires placing the items physically or structurally side by side so the viewer sees the relationship directly. Artistic and academic writing uses 'juxtapose' when the act of placement itself carries meaning. For everyday use, 'compare' or 'set side by side' works more naturally; for criticism or analysis, 'juxtapose' adds precision. For example, a critic might say the film juxtaposes wealth and poverty, not that it compares them — because the editing places those images together deliberately.

compare ↗contrast ↗set side by side

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'juxta' meaning 'near, beside' and 'ponere' meaning 'to place'. It travelled through French 'juxtaposer' before entering English in the mid-19th century, initially in art and literary criticism before spreading to general analytical use.

First known use

1851

1851, in the meaning defined above