Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

antithesis

Noun

/ænˈtɪθ.ə.sɪs/

Definition

A rhetorical device in which two contrasting ideas are presented to highlight their differences.

Examples

In the poem, the author uses antithesis to contrast hope and despair.
Good vs. evil is a classic antithesis seen in many stories.
Her style is an antithesis of traditional aesthetics; she embraces chaos instead of order.

Meaning

The direct opposite or contrast of something; in literature, it often refers to a figure of speech in which an idea or a sentence is balanced by contrasting ideas in parallel arrangements.