Meaning & Definition of word "Antithesis"
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Antithesis
/ænˈtɪθəsɪs/
noun:
- 1. A contrast or opposition between two things, often expressed in parallel phrases or clauses.
- Example: The antithesis of love is not hate, but indifference.
- 2. A rhetorical device in which two contrasting ideas are expressed in a balanced format.
- Example: In his speech, he used the antithesis of freedom and oppression to highlight the importance of civil rights.
- 3. A direct opposite or contrast to an idea or concept.
- Example: Her cheerful demeanor was the antithesis of his gloomy attitude.
- 4. In philosophy, the second stage of the dialectical process in which a proposition is countered by its opposite.
- Example: Hegel describes the antithesis as a necessary part of the dialectical method.
Etymology
Derived from Greek 'antitithenai' meaning 'to oppose'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
thesis and antithesis:
A dialectical progression of ideas where one idea (thesis) is opposed by another (antithesis).
antithesis in philosophy:
The use of contrasting ideas to develop a philosophical argument.
Related Words
thesis:
A statement or theory put forward to be maintained or proved.
synthesis:
The combination of components or elements to form a connected whole.
Slang Meanings of antithesis
Meaning: Total opposite
Example Sentence: Her views on the issue are the antithesis of mine.
Meaning: Complete contrast
Example Sentence: Those two styles are the antithesis of each other.