Meaning & use
juxtaposed
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“juxtaposed” is a form of “juxtapose”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Put two or more things next to each other so that the differences or similarities between them become easy to see.
Grammar: Takes an object, usually with with or against: she juxtaposed old photos with new ones.
Patterns
- juxtapose something with something
- juxtapose something and something
- juxtapose something against something
The museum juxtaposed ancient pottery with modern sculpture to show how little some shapes have changed.
In her essay, the writer juxtaposed the quiet village with the noisy city she had left.
The director juxtaposed a cheerful song against scenes of war.
adjectivenot comparable
Set side by side, especially on purpose, so that the contrast between the items stands out.
Grammar: Often follows a verb like be or appear, or comes after a noun: images juxtaposed on the wall.
Patterns
- something juxtaposed with something
- be juxtaposed against something
The juxtaposed images of wealth and poverty made the poster hard to ignore.
Two juxtaposed ideas can sometimes explain each other better than either could alone.
Her poem is built from juxtaposed scenes of childhood and old age.
Word forms
| third person singular | juxtaposes |
|---|---|
| past tense | juxtaposed |
| past participle | juxtaposed |
| -ing form | juxtaposing |
Common combinations
- juxtaposed with
- The soft pastel walls were juxtaposed with a bold red sofa.
- juxtaposed against
- His calm voice was juxtaposed against the chaos on the screen.
- starkly juxtaposed
- The luxury hotel stood starkly juxtaposed with the crowded streets nearby.
- deliberately juxtaposed
- The editor deliberately juxtaposed two headlines to make readers think.
- sharply juxtaposed
- Joy and grief are sharply juxtaposed in the final chapter.
Synonyms and how they differ
- contrasted
- Contrasted focuses on the difference itself, whereas juxtaposed stresses the physical or structural act of placing items together.
- paired
- Paired is a neutral, everyday word for putting two things together and does not suggest that a contrast is intended.
- compared
- Compared is about judging similarities and differences in the mind, while juxtaposed describes how things are arranged in space or text.
Opposites
Word family
- juxtapose verb
- to place things side by side for comparison
- juxtaposition noun
- the act or result of placing things side by side
- juxtapositional adjective
- relating to juxtaposition (rare)
Commonly confused: juxtaposed or opposed?
juxtaposed vs opposed
Opposed means in conflict or against something, while juxtaposed only means placed next to each other, whether or not they clash.
Practice
The gallery juxtaposed the portraits of two rival kings ___ each other on one wall.
Choose one answer.
Juxtaposed is followed by with or against to show what the item is placed beside; about, between and since do not form this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “juxtaposed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.