Definitions

1. noun

the state or condition of being in direct opposition or contrast to something else, especially in a way that highlights a difference or incongruity.

“The poet’s use of light and dark in the poem was a powerful antithesis of life and death.”

2. noun

a person, thing, or situation that is directly opposite or contrasting to something else.

“The company’s new policy was the antithesis of its former reckless spending habits.”

3. noun

a rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas, words, or phrases are brought together in a sentence to contrast them.

“The writer used antithesis in the sentence ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’ to convey the complexity of the situation.”

4. verb

to set in opposition or contrast.

“The teacher antithesized the two characters’ motivations to highlight their differences.”