noun
contrast
kuhn-TRAHST
noun
1
A clear difference between two things when they are compared.
"There's a striking contrast between the two brothers' personalities."
"The dark curtains created a nice contrast with the pale walls."
verb
1
To compare two things in order to highlight their differences.
"The article contrasts life in the city with life in the countryside."
How to Use Contrast
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA noticeable difference between things, or the act of comparing them to show that difference.
Common pairings
sharp contrast
in contrast to
contrast sharply
Word Forms
contrasted past tense, contrasts plural, contrasts singular
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There's a striking _____ between the two brothers' personalities.
Etymology
From French contraster, from Latin contrastare ("to stand against"), from contra ("against") plus stare ("to stand").