juxtapose
verb
jux·ta·pose
ˈjək-stə-ˌpōz 
juxtaposed; juxtaposing
: to place (different things) side by side (as to compare them or contrast them or to create an interesting effect)
… juxtapose unexpected combinations of colors, shapes and ideas …—
J. F. T. Bugental
J. F. T. Bugental
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Is juxtapose a back-formation?
A back-formation is a word that has come about through the removal of a prefix or a suffix from a longer word. Etymologists believe juxtapose is a back-formation that was created when people trimmed down the noun juxtaposition. Historical evidence supports the idea: juxtaposition shows up in the 17th century and juxtapose in the 19th. Juxtaposition is a combination of Latin juxta, meaning "near," and English "position."
Examples of juxtapose in a Sentence
a display that juxtaposes modern art with classical art
Recent Examples on the Web
Derry Girls, which followed teens in McGee’s native Derry in the years preceding 1998’s Good Friday Agreement, was a raucous, joke-dense show that juxtaposed mundane adolescent rites of passage with the daily horrors of life in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
—Judy Berman, Time, 13 Feb. 2026
The poignant image is juxtaposed with flashbacks of them as children lying sweetly next to one another.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
The film juxtaposes intimate vérité of Yo’s last year with Anna’s creative interpretations of Yo’s dramatic life stories.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Frady is voluntarily subjected to a disturbing reel of still images and text, juxtaposed and remixed in an overwhelming cacophony of the contradictions and impulses at the heart of America.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for juxtapose
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Judy Berman, Time, 13 Feb. 2026
The poignant image is juxtaposed with flashbacks of them as children lying sweetly next to one another.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
The film juxtaposes intimate vérité of Yo’s last year with Anna’s creative interpretations of Yo’s dramatic life stories.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Frady is voluntarily subjected to a disturbing reel of still images and text, juxtaposed and remixed in an overwhelming cacophony of the contradictions and impulses at the heart of America.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for juxtapose
Cite this Entry
“Juxtapose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/juxtapose. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
juxtapose
verb
jux·ta·pose
ˈjək-stə-ˌpōz
juxtaposed; juxtaposing
: to place side by side
juxtaposition
noun
ˌjək-stə-pə-ˈzish-ən
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