antithetical

adjective

an·ti·thet·i·cal ˌan-tə-�?the-ti-kəl

variants or less commonly antithetic

ˌan-tə-�?the-tik

Synonyms of antithetical next

: being in direct and unequivocal opposition : directly opposite or opposed

… some see the idea of a museum for rock & roll as antithetical to the music's rebellious ethic …—

Al Weisel

: constituting or marked by antithesis

antithetical conflict

antithetically

ˌan-tə-�?the-ti-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Did you know?

Antithetical and antithesis come from Greek antitithenai ("to oppose"). The oldest sense of antithesis refers to a language pattern that contrasts parallel ideas, as in "action, not words" or "they promised freedom and provided slavery," and antithetical originally referred to anything that was marked by such antithesis. For example, you could say "The phrase 'action, not words' is an antithetical construction." It is more common, however, for antithesis to mean "the exact opposite" and for antithetical to mean "directly opposite."

Choose the Right Synonym for antithetical

opposite, contradictory, contrary, antithetical mean being so far apart as to be or seem irreconcilable.

opposite applies to things in sharp contrast or in conflict.

opposite views on foreign aid

contradictory applies to two things that completely negate each other so that if one is true or valid the other must be untrue or invalid.

made contradictory predictions about whether the market would rise or fall

contrary implies extreme divergence or diametrical opposition.

contrary assessments of the war situation

antithetical stresses clear and unequivocal diametrical opposition.

a law that is antithetical to the very idea of democracy

Examples of antithetical in a Sentence

the antithetical forces of good and evil spiritual concerns and ideals that are antithetical to the materialism embraced by modern society

Recent Examples on the Web

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The young quarterback, whose Air Raid-offensive background was nearly antithetical to Reid’s West Coast Offense tenets, turned playoff seasons into titles. —

Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2025 Another approach, aesthetically antithetical but practically kindred, uses digital means for figurative hyper-similitude. —

Glenn Adamson, ARTnews.com, 16 Dec. 2024 This notion is entirely antithetical to decentralized finance. —

Ron Insana, CNBC, 21 Nov. 2024 Many of the traditional Jeep details, such as a large, vertical front grille, a square back and trapezoidal wheel wells, are antithetical to the aerodynamic demands of an EV. —

Scotty Reiss, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for antithetical