antithesis

noun

an·tith·e·sis an-ˈti-thə-səs How to pronounce antithesis (audio)

plural antitheses an-ˈti-thə-ˌsēz How to pronounce antithesis (audio)

: the direct opposite

Her temperament is the very antithesis of mine.

b(1)

: the rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences (as in "action, not words" or "they promised freedom and provided slavery")

(2)

: opposition, contrast

the antithesis of prose and verse

: the second of two opposing words, clauses, or sentences that are being rhetorically contrasted

philosophy : the second stage of a dialectical process

Did you know?

Writers and speechmakers use the traditional pattern known as antithesis for its resounding effect; John Kennedy's famous "ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country" is an example. But antithesis normally means simply "opposite". Thus, war is the antithesis of peace, wealth is the antithesis of poverty, and love is the antithesis of hate. Holding two antithetical ideas in one's head at the same time—for example, that you're the sole master of your fate but also the helpless victim of your terrible upbringing—is so common as to be almost normal.

Synonyms

antipode
contrary
counter
negative
obverse
opposite
reverse

See all Synonyms & Antonyms

Example Sentences

In urban areas, middle schools often became the antithesis of what reformers had intended. Instead of warm incubators of independence and judgment, they became impersonal, oppressive institutions.

Claudia Wallis, Time, 8 Aug. 2005 Yet the newest residential rage in Dallas is the antithesis of the traditional neighborhood: the gated community. Depending on your income and level of anxiety, these private enclaves may contain golf courses, health clubs and equestrian centers …

Paul McFedries, Word Spy, 2004 Cato, who dosed his family on cabbage soup, derided Greek physicians as the antithesis of Roman virtue: they were frauds who cheated patients and 'have sworn to kill all barbarians with their drugs'.

Roy Porter, The Greatest Benefit to Mankind, 1997 true love for another is the antithesis of the desire to control that person's life

Recent Examples on the Web Cairo has earned high marks in his first week for being the antithesis of La Russaism.

Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2022 For a subset of the industry that claims to promote body positivity and self‑love, that feels like the very antithesis of the message.

Gianluca Russo, Allure, 17 Aug. 2022 Government unions are the antithesis of a free country.

Sam Deanstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2022 Las Vegas’s new style is the antithesis of how the franchise played basketball since relocating from San Antonio ahead of the 2018 season.

Laine Higgins, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 Trying too hard is the antithesis of cool, but not trying at all — mere charmlessness or grossness — isn’t cool, either.

Brian Amaral, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Aug. 2022 Anthony was the bad boy in season 1, in many ways the shagging, chaotic, antithesis of the stoic, simmering Duke.

Holly Thomas, CNN, 25 Mar. 2022 The very antithesis to what efterskole is about, as their headmaster Rune Peitersen puts it.

Vogue, 3 Mar. 2022 Alice’s daughter, perhaps relatable to our pre-pandemic selves, is the antithesis of Alice: a successful, unhappy writer, well traveled and independent, who has taken charge of the big things that define her life.

Apoorva Tadepalli, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2022 See More

单词	antithesis
释义	antithesis noun an·tith·e·sis an-ˈti-thə-səs plural antitheses an-ˈti-thə-ˌsēz 1 a : the direct opposite Her temperament is the very antithesis of mine. b(1) : the rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences (as in "action, not words" or "they promised freedom and provided slavery") (2) : opposition, contrast the antithesis of prose and verse c : the second of two opposing words, clauses, or sentences that are being rhetorically contrasted 2 philosophy : the second stage of a dialectical process Did you know? Writers and speechmakers use the traditional pattern known as antithesis for its resounding effect; John Kennedy's famous "ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country" is an example. But antithesis normally means simply "opposite". Thus, war is the antithesis of peace, wealth is the antithesis of poverty, and love is the antithesis of hate. Holding two antithetical ideas in one's head at the same time—for example, that you're the sole master of your fate but also the helpless victim of your terrible upbringing—is so common as to be almost normal. Synonyms antipode contrary counter negative obverse opposite reverse See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences In urban areas, middle schools often became the antithesis of what reformers had intended. Instead of warm incubators of independence and judgment, they became impersonal, oppressive institutions. Claudia Wallis, Time, 8 Aug. 2005 Yet the newest residential rage in Dallas is the antithesis of the traditional neighborhood: the gated community. Depending on your income and level of anxiety, these private enclaves may contain golf courses, health clubs and equestrian centers … Paul McFedries, Word Spy, 2004 Cato, who dosed his family on cabbage soup, derided Greek physicians as the antithesis of Roman virtue: they were frauds who cheated patients and 'have sworn to kill all barbarians with their drugs'. Roy Porter, The Greatest Benefit to Mankind, 1997 true love for another is the antithesis of the desire to control that person's life Recent Examples on the Web Cairo has earned high marks in his first week for being the antithesis of La Russaism. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2022 For a subset of the industry that claims to promote body positivity and self‑love, that feels like the very antithesis of the message. Gianluca Russo, Allure, 17 Aug. 2022 Government unions are the antithesis of a free country. Sam Deanstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2022 Las Vegas’s new style is the antithesis of how the franchise played basketball since relocating from San Antonio ahead of the 2018 season. Laine Higgins, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 Trying too hard is the antithesis of cool, but not trying at all — mere charmlessness or grossness — isn’t cool, either. Brian Amaral, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Aug. 2022 Anthony was the bad boy in season 1, in many ways the shagging, chaotic, antithesis of the stoic, simmering Duke. Holly Thomas, CNN, 25 Mar. 2022 The very antithesis to what efterskole is about, as their headmaster Rune Peitersen puts it. Vogue, 3 Mar. 2022 Alice’s daughter, perhaps relatable to our pre-pandemic selves, is the antithesis of Alice: a successful, unhappy writer, well traveled and independent, who has taken charge of the big things that define her life. Apoorva Tadepalli, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Late Latin, from Greek, literally, opposition, from antitithenai to oppose, from anti- + tithenai to set — more at do First Known Use 1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1b(1) Kids Definition antithesis noun an·tith·e·sis an-ˈti-thə-səs plural antitheses -ə-ˌsēz : the exact opposite Poverty is the antithesis of wealth. antithesis noun as in opposite something that is as different as possible from something else true love for another is the antithesis of the desire to control that person's life Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance opposite contrary counter antipode obverse reverse counterpoint negative antonym negation inverse converse mirror image Antonyms & Near Antonyms synonym counterpart analogue analog duplicate copy replica carbon copy See More
随便看	grapetrees grapevine grapevine knot grapevine moth grapevine phylloxera grapevine twist grapevines grapey graph graph paper graph pencil graph theory graphed B meson B minor B movie B movies B of E B of H B of T B Phil B picture B pictures B power supply B side

antithesis

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

noun

noun