antithesis

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ænˈtɪθəsɪs/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ænˈtɪθəsɪs/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(an tithə sis)

Inflections of 'antithesis' (n): npl: antitheses

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
an•tith•e•sis /ænˈtɪθəsɪs/USA pronunciation   n., pl. -ses 
    /-ˌsiz/.USA pronunciation  
  1. [uncountable] opposition; contrast: the antithesis of right and wrong.
  2. [countable* often: the + + of] the direct opposite: Her strength was the very antithesis of cowardice.
an•ti•thet•i•cal /ˌæntəˈθɛtɪkəl/USA pronunciation  an•ti•thet•ic, adj. 
an•ti•thet•i•cal•ly, adv. See -thes-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
an•tith•e•sis  (an tithə sis),USA pronunciation n., pl. -ses 
    (-sēz′).USA pronunciation 
  1. opposition;
    contrast:the antithesis of right and wrong.
  2. the direct opposite (usually fol. by of or to):Her behavior was the very antithesis of cowardly.
  3. Rhetoric
    • the placing of a sentence or one of its parts against another to which it is opposed to form a balanced contrast of ideas, as in "Give me liberty or give me death.''
    • the second sentence or part thus set in opposition, as "or give me death.''
  4. PhilosophySee under Hegelian dialectic. 
  • Greek: opposition, equivalent. to anti(ti)thé(nai) to oppose + -sis -sis. See anti-, thesis
  • Latin
  • 1520–30
    • 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged opposite, reverse.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
antithesis / ænˈtɪθɪsɪs/ ( -ses / -ˌsiːz/)
  1. the exact opposite
  2. contrast or opposition
  3. the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, phrases, or words so as to produce an effect of balance, such as my words fly up, my thoughts remain below
Etymology: 15th Century: via Latin from Greek: a setting against, from anti- + tithenai to place
'antithesis' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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