contrasting
Contrasting (adjective) means Strikingly different from one another when set side by side, in a way that makes the difference stand out. Example: “The two witnesses gave sharply contrasting accounts of the evening.”
How to use contrasting
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishClearly different from each other.
Neutral. Frequent in academic writing, design, fashion and reporting.
Note the stress shift: the noun CON-trast is stressed on the first syllable, the verb con-TRAST on the second.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The two witnesses gave sharply _____ accounts of the evening.
Etymology
From French contraster, in turn from Italian contrastare 'to stand against, to oppose', built on Latin contra 'against' and stare 'to stand'.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for contrasting
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between contrasting and complementary colours?
Contrasting colours sit far apart on the colour wheel and create visual tension, while complementary colours sit directly opposite and are a specific kind of high contrast that also balances. In everyday design talk, contrasting simply means visibly different, whereas complementary is a precise technical pairing.
Do you contrast something with or to something?
Both are used, but 'contrast with' is the more common and natural choice, especially for the intransitive sense: 'her calm contrasted with his panic'. 'Contrast to' appears mainly in the fixed phrase 'in contrast to'.
Is contrasting positive or negative?
It is neutral. Contrasting evidence can signal an unresolved conflict, while contrasting textures in a room are usually a compliment; the tone comes from the context, not the word.
What is the meaning of contrasting?
"contrasting" (adjective) means strikingly different from one another when set side by side, in a way that makes the difference stand out.