Meaning & use

polar opposite

phrase·Academic

Someone or something that is completely different from, or the exact reverse of, another person or thing.

See it in a sentence

The two brothers are polar opposites: one is outgoing, and the other is shy.

Their taste in music is a polar opposite, from classical to heavy metal.

A note on using this word

The phrase draws on the image of the North and South poles, the two most distant points on the globe.

Words with a similar meaning

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