what is a different word for antithesis

Antithesis Definition

What is antithesis? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

Antithesis is a figure of speech that juxtaposes two contrasting or opposing ideas, usually within parallel grammatical structures. For instance, Neil Armstrong used antithesis when he stepped onto the surface of the moon in 1969 and said, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." This is an example of antithesis because the two halves of the sentence mirror each other in grammatical structure, while together the two halves emphasize the incredible contrast between the individual experience of taking an ordinary step, and the extraordinary progress that Armstrong's step symbolized for the human race.

Some additional key details about antithesis:

• Antithesis works best when it is used in conjunction with parallelism (successive phrases that use the same grammatical structure), since the repetition of structure makes the contrast of the content of the phrases as clear as possible.
• The word "antithesis" has another meaning, which is to describe something as being the opposite of another thing. For example, "love is the antithesis of selfishness." This guide focuses only on antithesis as a literary device.
• The word antithesis has its origins in the Greek word antithenai , meaning "to oppose." The plural of antithesis is antitheses.

How to Pronounce Antithesis

Here's how to pronounce antithesis: an- tith -uh-sis

Antithesis and Parallelism

Often, but not always, antithesis works in tandem with parallelism . In parallelism, two components of a sentence (or pair of sentences) mirror one another by repeating grammatical elements. The following is a good example of both antithesis and parallelism:

To err is human , to forgive divine .

The two clauses of the sentence are parallel because each starts off with an infinitive verb and ends with an adjective ("human" and "divine"). The mirroring of these elements then works to emphasize the contrast in their content, particularly in the very strong opposite contrast between "human" and "divine."

Antithesis Without Parallelism

In most cases, antitheses involve parallel elements of the sentence—whether a pair of nouns, verbs, adjectives, or other grammar elements. However, it is also possible to have antithesis without such clear cut parallelism. In the Temptations Song "My Girl," the singer uses antithesis when he says:

"When it's cold outside , I've got the month of May ."

Here the sentence is clearly cut into two clauses on either side of the comma, and the contrasting elements are clear enough. However, strictly speaking there isn't true parallelism here because "cold outside" and "month of May" are different types of grammatical structures (an adjective phrase and a noun phrase, respectively).

Antithesis vs. Related Terms

Three literary terms that are often mistakenly used in the place of antithesis are juxtaposition , oxymoron , and foil . Each of these three terms does have to do with establishing a relationship of difference between two ideas or characters in a text, but beyond that there are significant differences between them.

Antithesis vs. Juxtaposition

In juxtaposition , two things or ideas are placed next to one another to draw attention to their differences or similarities. In juxtaposition, the pairing of two ideas is therefore not necessarily done to create a relationship of opposition or contradiction between them, as is the case with antithesis. So, while antithesis could be a type of juxtaposition, juxtaposition is not always antithesis.

Antithesis vs. Oxymoron

In an oxymoron , two seemingly contradictory words are placed together because their unlikely combination reveals a deeper truth. Some examples of oxymorons include:

• Sweet sorrow
• Cruel kindness
• Living dead

The focus of antithesis is opposites rather than contradictions . While the words involved in oxymorons seem like they don't belong together (until you give them deeper thought), the words or ideas of antithesis do feel like they belong together even as they contrast as opposites. Further, antitheses seldom function by placing the two words or ideas right next to one another, so antitheses are usually made up of more than two words (as in, "I'd rather be among the living than among the dead").

Antithesis vs. Foil

Some Internet sources use "antithesis" to describe an author's decision to create two characters in a story that are direct opposites of one another—for instance, the protagonist and antagonist . But the correct term for this kind of opposition is a foil : a person or thing in a work of literature that contrasts with another thing in order to call attention to its qualities. While the sentence "the hare was fast, and the tortoise was slow" is an example of antithesis, if we step back and look at the story as a whole, the better term to describe the relationship between the characters of the tortoise and the hare is "foil," as in, "The character of the hare is a foil of the tortoise."

Antithesis Examples

Antithesis in literature.

Below are examples of antithesis from some of English literature's most acclaimed writers — and a comic book!

Antithesis in Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities

In the famous opening lines of A Tale of Two Cities , Dickens sets out a flowing list of antitheses punctuated by the repetition of the word "it was" at the beginning of each clause (which is itself an example of the figure of speech anaphora ). By building up this list of contrasts, Dickens sets the scene of the French Revolution that will serve as the setting of his tale by emphasizing the division and confusion of the era. The overwhelming accumulation of antitheses is also purposefully overdone; Dickens is using hyperbole to make fun of the "noisiest authorities" of the day and their exaggerated claims. The passage contains many examples of antithesis, each consisting of one pair of contrasting ideas that we've highlighted to make the structure clearer.

It was the best of times , it was the worst of times , it was the age of wisdom , it was the age of foolishness , it was the epoch of belief , it was the epoch of incredulity , it was the season of Light , it was the season of Darkness , it was the spring of hope , it was the winter of despair , we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven , we were all going direct the other way —in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

Antithesis in John Milton's Paradise Lost

In this verse from Paradise Lost , Milton's anti-hero , Satan, claims he's happier as the king of Hell than he could ever have been as a servant in Heaven. He justifies his rebellion against God with this pithy phrase, and the antithesis drives home the double contrast between Hell and Heaven, and between ruling and serving.

Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.

Antithesis in William Shakespeare's Othello

As the plot of Othello nears its climax , the antagonist of the play, Iago, pauses for a moment to acknowledge the significance of what is about to happen. Iago uses antithesis to contrast the two opposite potential outcomes of his villainous plot: either events will transpire in Iago's favor and he will come out on top, or his treachery will be discovered, ruining him.

This is the night That either makes me or fordoes me quite .

In this passage, the simple word "either" functions as a cue for the reader to expect some form of parallelism, because the "either" signals that a contrast between two things is coming.

Antithesis in William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Shakespeare's plays are full of antithesis, and so is Hamlet's most well-known "To be or not to be" soliloquy . This excerpt of the soliloquy is a good example of an antithesis that is not limited to a single word or short phrase. The first instance of antithesis here, where Hamlet announces the guiding question (" to be or not to be ") is followed by an elaboration of each idea ("to be" and "not to be") into metaphors that then form their own antithesis. Both instances of antithesis hinge on an " or " that divides the two contrasting options.

To be or not to be , that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them ...

Antithesis in T.S. Eliot's "Four Quartets"

In this excerpt from his poem "Four Quartets," T.S. Eliot uses antithesis to describe the cycle of life, which is continuously passing from beginning to end, from rise to fall, and from old to new.

In my beginning is my end . In succession Houses rise and fall , crumble, are extended, Are removed, destroyed, restored, or in their place Is an open field, or a factory, or a by-pass. Old stone to new building , old timber to new fires ...

Antithesis in Green Lantern's Oath

Comic book writers know the power of antithesis too! In this catchy oath, Green Lantern uses antithesis to emphasize that his mission to defeat evil will endure no matter the conditions.

In brightest day , in blackest night , No evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might Beware my power—Green lantern's light!

While most instances of antithesis are built around an "or" that signals the contrast between the two parts of the sentence, the Green Lantern oath works a bit differently. It's built around an implied "and" (to be technical, that first line of the oath is an asyndeton that replaces the "and" with a comma), because members of the Green Lantern corps are expressing their willingness to fight evil in all places, even very opposite environments.

Antithesis in Speeches

Many well-known speeches contain examples of antithesis. Speakers use antithesis to drive home the stakes of what they are saying, sometimes by contrasting two distinct visions of the future.

Antithesis in Patrick Henry's Speech to the Second Virginia Convention, 1775

This speech by famous American patriot Patrick Henry includes one of the most memorable and oft-quoted phrases from the era of the American Revolution. Here, Henry uses antithesis to emphasize just how highly he prizes liberty, and how deadly serious he is about his fight to achieve it.

Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take: but as for me, give me liberty or give me death .

Antithesis in Martin Luther King Jr.'s Oberlin Commencement Address

In this speech by one of America's most well-known orators, antithesis allows Martin Luther King Jr. to highlight the contrast between two visions of the future; in the first vision, humans rise above their differences to cooperate with one another, while in the other humanity is doomed by infighting and division.

We must all learn to live together as brothers —or we will all perish together as fools .

Antithesis in Songs

In songs, contrasting two opposite ideas using antithesis can heighten the dramatic tension of a difficult decision, or express the singer's intense emotion—but whatever the context, antithesis is a useful tool for songwriters mainly because opposites are always easy to remember, so lyrics that use antithesis tend to stick in the head.

Antithesis in "Should I Stay or Should I Go" by The Clash (1981)

In this song by The Clash, the speaker is caught at a crossroads between two choices, and antithesis serves as the perfect tool to express just how confused and conflicted he is. The rhetorical question —whether to stay or to go—presents two opposing options, and the contrast between his lover's mood from one day (when everything is "fine") to the next (when it's all "black") explains the difficulty of his choice.

One day it's fine and next it's black So if you want me off your back Well, come on and let me know Should I stay or should I go ? Should I stay or should I go now? Should I stay or should I go now? If I go, there will be trouble If I stay it will be double ...

Antithesis in "My Girl" by the Temptations (1965)

In this song, the singer uses a pair of metaphors to describe the feeling of joy that his lover brings him. This joy is expressed through antithesis, since the singer uses the miserable weather of a cloudy, cold day as the setting for the sunshine-filled month of May that "his girl" makes him feel inside, emphasizing the power of his emotions by contrasting them with the bleak weather.

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day When it's cold outside I've got the month of May Well I guess you'd say, What can make me feel this way? My girl, my girl, my girl Talkin' bout my girl.

Why Do Writers Use Antithesis?

Fundamentally, writers of all types use antithesis for its ability to create a clear contrast. This contrast can serve a number of purposes, as shown in the examples above. It can:

• Present a stark choice between two alternatives.
• Convey magnitude or range (i.e. "in brightest day, in darkest night" or "from the highest mountain, to the deepest valley").
• Express strong emotions.
• Create a relationship of opposition between two separate ideas.
• Accentuate the qualities and characteristics of one thing by placing it in opposition to another.

Whatever the case, antithesis almost always has the added benefit of making language more memorable to listeners and readers. The use of parallelism and other simple grammatical constructions like "either/or" help to establish opposition between concepts—and opposites have a way of sticking in the memory.

Other Helpful Antithesis Resources

• The Wikipedia page on Antithesis : A useful summary with associated examples, along with an extensive account of antithesis in the Gospel of Matthew.
• Sound bites from history : A list of examples of antithesis in famous political speeches from United States history — with audio clips!
• A blog post on antithesis : This quick rundown of antithesis focuses on a quote you may know from Muhammad Ali's philosophy of boxing: "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."

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Definition of Antithesis

Antithesis is a literary device that refers to the juxtaposition of two opposing elements through the parallel grammatical structure. The word antithesis, meaning absolute opposite, is derived from Greek for “ setting opposite,” indicating when something or someone is in direct contrast or the obverse of another thing or person.

Antithesis is an effective literary and rhetorical device , as it pairs exact opposite or contrasting ideas by utilizing the parallel grammatical structure. This helps readers and audience members define concepts through contrast and develop an understanding of something through defining its opposite. In addition, through the use of parallelism , antithesis establishes a repetitive structure that makes for rhythmic writing and lyrical speech.

For example, Alexander Pope states in  An Essay on Criticism , “ To err is human ; to forgive divine.” Pope’s use of antithesis reflects the impact of this figure of speech in writing, as it creates a clear, memorable, and lyrical effect for the reader. In addition, Pope sets human error in contrast to divine forgiveness, allowing readers to understand that it is natural for people to make mistakes, and therefore worthy for others to absolve them when they do.

Examples of Antithesis in Everyday Speech

Antithesis is often used in everyday speech as a means of conveying opposing ideas in a concise and expressive way. Since antithesis is intended to be a figure of speech, such statements are not meant to be understood in a literal manner. Here are some examples of antithesis used in everyday speech:

• Go big or go home.
• Spicy food is heaven on the tongue but hell in the tummy.
• Those who can, do; those who can’t do, teach.
• Get busy living or get busy dying.
• Speech is silver but silence is gold.
• No pain, no gain.
• It’s not a show, friends; it’s show business.
• No guts, no glory.
• A moment on the lips; a lifetime on the hips.
• If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.

Common Examples of Antithesis from Famous Speeches

Antithesis can be an effective rhetorical device in terms of calling attention to drastic differences between opposing ideas and concepts. By highlighting the contrast side-by-side with the exact same structure, the speaker is able to impact an audience in a memorable and significant way. Here are some common examples of antithesis from famous speeches:

• “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character .” (Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have a Dream”)
• “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” (Abraham Lincoln “The Gettysburg Address”)
• “‘Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.'” (Edward Kennedy quoting Robert F. Kennedy during eulogy )
• “We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom, symbolizing an end as well as a beginning, signifying renewal as well as change.” (John F. Kennedy “Presidential Inaugural Speech”)
• “You see, for any champion to succeed, he must have a team — a very incredible, special team; people that he can depend on, count on, and rely upon through everything — the highs and lows, the wins and losses, the victories and failures, and even the joys and heartaches that happen both on and off the court.” (Michael Chang “ Induction Speech for Tennis Hall of Fame”)

Examples of Proverbs Featuring Antithesis

Proverbs are simple and often traditional sayings that express insight into truths that are perceived, based on common sense or experience. These sayings are typically intended to be metaphorical and therefore rely on figures of speech such as antithesis. Proverbs that utilize antithetical parallelism feature an antithesis to bring together opposing ideas in defined contrast. Therefore, antithesis is effective as a literary device in proverbs by allowing the reader to consider one idea and then it’s opposite. It also makes for lyrical and easily remembered sayings.

Here are some examples of proverbs featuring antithesis:

• Cleanliness is next to godliness.
• Beggars can’t be choosers.
• Easy come, easy go.
• Hope for the best; prepare for the worst.
• Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer.
• Like father, like son.
• Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
• An ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure.
• Be slow in choosing, but slower in changing.
• Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile.
• If you can’t beat them, join them.
• Keep your mouth closed and your eyes open.
• One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.
• Out of sight, out of mind.
• Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Utilizing Antithesis in Writing

As a literary device, antithesis allows authors to add contrast to their writing. This is effective in terms of comparing two contrasting ideas, such as a character’s conflicting emotions or a setting’s opposing elements. In literature, antithesis doesn’t require a pairing of exact opposites, but rather concepts that are different and distinct. In addition, since antithesis creates a lyrical quality to writing through parallel structure , the rhythm of phrasing and wording should be as similar as possible. Like most literary and rhetorical devices, overuse of antithesis will create confusion or invoke boredom in a reader as well as make the writing seem forced.

Antithesis and Parallelism

Both terms demonstrate a fundamental difference. An antithesis comprises two contradictory ideas and parallelism does not necessarily comprise opposite ideas or persons. It could have more than two ideas or persons. As the name suggests that parallelism is a condition where is an antithesis is an opposition. For example, man proposes, God disposes, has two contradictory ideas. However, it is also a parallel sentence . Furthermore, parallelism occurs mostly in structure and less in ideas. Even similar ideas could occur in parallelism, while an antithesis has only dissimilar ideas.

Antithesis and Juxtaposition

As far as juxtaposition is concerned, it means placing two ideas together that are dissimilar. They need not be opposite to each other. In the case of antithesis, they must be opposite to each other as in the case of man proposes, God disposes. Not only these two ideas are dissimilar, but also they are opposite. In the case of juxtaposition, a poet only puts two ideas together and they are not opposed to each other.

Use of Antithesis in Sentences  

• As soon he dies, he becomes a dead living.
• Most people do not understand the value of money when the poor put money ahead of them.
• Some people make money, while some waste it.
• Although they have gone leaps ahead, they have also stepped back just in the nick of time.
• The public comes forward when there is prosperity and moves back when there is adversity.

Examples of Antithesis in Literature

Antithesis is an effective literary device and figure of speech in which a writer intentionally juxtaposes two contrasting ideas or entities. Antithesis is typically achieved through parallel structure, in which opposing concepts or elements are paired in adjacent phrases , clauses , or sentences. This draws the reader’s attention to the significance or importance of the agents being contrasted, thereby adding a memorable and meaningful quality to the literary work.

Here are some examples of antithesis in well-known works of literature:

Example 1:  Hamlet (William Shakespeare)

Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice ; Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment.

In Shakespeare’s well-known play , he utilizes antithesis as a literary device for Polonius to deliver fatherly advice to his son before Laertes leaves for France. In these lines, Polonius pairs contrasting ideas such as listening and speaking using parallel structure. This adds a lyrical element to the wording, in addition to having a memorable and foreboding impact on the characters and audience members with the meaning of each line.

Despite the attempt by Polonius to impart logical thinking, measured response, and wise counsel to his son through antithesis, Laertes becomes so fixated on avenging his father’s death that his actions are impulsive and imprudent. Polonius’s antithetical words are not heeded by his son, resulting in the death of several characters including Hamlet and Laertes himself.

Example 2:  Paradise Lost  (John Milton)

Here at least We shall be free; the Almighty hath not built Here for his envy, will not drive us hence: Here we may reign secure, and in my choice To reign is worth ambition though in Hell: Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.

In Milton’s epic poem , he explores the Fall of Satan as well as the temptation and subsequent Fall of Man. This passage is spoken by Satan after he has been condemned to Hell by God for attempting to assume power and authority in Heaven. Satan is unrepentant of his actions, and wants to persuade his followers that Hell is preferable to Heaven.

Satan utilizes antithesis in the last line of this passage to encourage his rebellious followers to understand that, in Hell, they are free and rule their own destiny. In this line, Milton contrasts not just the ideas of Hell and Heaven, but also of reign and servitude as concepts applied to the angels , respectively. Pairing these opposites by using this literary device has two effects for the reader. First, Satan’s claim foreshadows his ability to use his words describing independence to tempt Eve, resulting in her and Adam’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Second, this antithesis invites the reader to consider Satan’s thought-process and experience to gain a deeper understanding of his motives in the poem.

Example 3:  Fire and Ice  (Robert Frost)

Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice.

In his poem, Frost utilizes antithesis to contrast fire and ice as elements with devastating and catastrophic potential to end the world. Frost effectively demonstrates the equal powers for the destruction of these elements, despite showcasing them as opposing forces. In this case, the poet’s antithesis has a literal as well as figurative interpretation. As the poem indicates, the world could literally end in the fire as well as ice. However, fire and ice are contrasting symbols in the poem as well. Fire represents “desire,” most likely in the form of greed, the corruption of power, domination, and control. Conversely, ice represents “hate” in the form of prejudice, oppression, neglect, and isolation.

The presence of antithesis in the poem is effective for readers in that it evokes contrasting and powerful imagery of fire and ice as opposing yet physically destructive forces. In addition, the human characteristics associated with fire and ice, and what they represent as psychologically and socially destructive symbols, impact the reader in a powerful and memorable way as well. Antithesis elevates for the reader the understanding that the source of the end of the world may not be natural causes but rather human action or behavior; and that the end of the world may not be simply the destruction of the earth, but rather the destruction of humankind.

Example 4: The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln

We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives so that nation might live.

The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.

The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

These three examples from the address of Abraham Lincoln show the use of contradictory ideas put together in one sentence. They show how he mentions living and dead putting them side by side. This antithesis has helped Lincoln as well as America to come out of the ravages of the Civil War.

Function of Antithesis

An antithesis helps make an idea distinct and prominent when it contradicts another idea in the first part of the argument . This contrastive feature helps make readers make their argument solid, cogent, and eloquent. Sentences comprising anthesis also become easy to remember, quote, and recall when required. When an antithesis occurs in a text, it creates an argumentative atmosphere where a dialectic could take place and helps writers and speakers hook their audience easily with antithetical statements.

Synonyms of Antithesis

Antithesis has no exact synonyms but several words come closer in meanings such as opposite, reverse, converse, reversal, inverse, extreme, another side of the coin, or flip side or contrast.

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• Literary Terms
• Definition & Examples
• How to Use Antithesis

I. What is an Antithesis?

“Antithesis” literally means “opposite” – it is usually the opposite of a statement, concept, or idea. In literary analysis, an antithesis is a pair of statements or images in which the one reverses the other. The pair is written with similar grammatical structures to show more contrast. Antithesis (pronounced an-TITH-eh-sis) is used to emphasize a concept, idea, or conclusion.

II. Examples of Antithesis

That’s one small step for a man – one giant leap for mankind .  (Neil Armstrong, 1969)

In this example, Armstrong is referring to man walking on the moon. Although taking a step is an ordinary activity for most people, taking a step on the moon, in outer space, is a major achievement for all humanity.

To err is human ; to forgive , divine . (Alexander Pope)

This example is used to point out that humans possess both worldly and godly qualities; they can all make mistakes, but they also have the power to free others from blame.

The world will little note , nor long remember , what we say here, but it can never forget what they did  (Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address )

In his speech, Lincoln points out that the details of that moment may not be memorable, but the actions would make history, and therefore, never entirely forgotten.

Antithesis can be a little tricky to see at first. To start, notice how each of these examples is separated into two parts . The parts are separated either by a dash, a semicolon, or the word “but.” Antithesis always has this multi-part structure (usually there are two parts, but sometimes it can be more, as we’ll see in later examples). The parts are not always as obvious as they are in these examples, but they will always be there.

Next, notice how the second part of each example contains terms that reverse or invert terms in the first part: small step vs. giant leap; human vs. divine; we say vs. they do. In each of the examples, there are several pairs of contrasted terms between the first part and the second, which is quite common in antithesis.

Finally, notice that each of the examples contains some parallel structures and ideas in addition to the opposites. This is key! The two parts are not simply contradictory statements. They are a matched pair that have many grammatical structures or concepts in common; in the details, however, they are opposites.

For example, look at the parallel grammar of Example 1: the word “one,” followed by an adjective, a noun, and then the word “for.” This accentuates the opposites by setting them against a backdrop of sameness – in other words, two very different ideas are being expressed with very, very similar grammatical structures.

To recap: antithesis has three things:

• Two or more parts
• Reversed or inverted ideas
• (usually) parallel grammatical structure

III. The Importance of Verisimilitude

Antithesis is basically a complex form of juxtaposition . So its effects are fairly similar – by contrasting one thing against its opposite, a writer or speaker can emphasize the key attributes of whatever they’re talking about. In the Neil Armstrong quote, for example, the tremendous significance of the first step on the moon is made more vivid by contrasting it with the smallness and ordinariness of the motion that brought it about.

Antithesis can also be used to express curious contradictions or paradoxes. Again, the Neil Armstrong quote is a good example: Armstrong is inviting his listeners to puzzle over the fact that a tiny, ordinary step – not so different from the millions of steps we take each day – can represent so massive a technological accomplishment as the moon landing.

Paradoxically, an antithesis can also be used to show how two seeming opposites might in fact be similar.

IV. Examples of Verisimilitude in Literature

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Forgive us this day our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us . (The Lord’s Prayer)

The antithesis is doing a lot of work here. First, it shows the parallel between committing an evil act and being the victim of one. On the surface, these are opposites, and this is part of the antithesis, but at the same time they are, in the end, the same act from different perspectives. This part of the antithesis is basically just an expression of the Golden Rule.

Second, the antithesis displays a parallel between the speaker (a human) and the one being spoken to (God). The prayer is a request for divine mercy, and at the same time a reminder that human beings should also be merciful.

All the joy the world contains has come through wanting happiness for others . All the misery the world contains has come through wanting pleasure for yourself . (Shantideva, The Way of the Bodhisattva )

The antithesis here comes with some pretty intense parallel structure. Most of the words in each sentence are exactly the same as those in the other sentence. (“All the ___ the world contains has come through wanting ____ for ____.”) This close parallel structure makes the antithesis all the more striking, since the words that differ become much more visible.

Another interesting feature of this antithesis is that it makes “pleasure” and “happiness” seem like opposites, when most of us might think of them as more or less synonymous. The quote makes happiness seem noble and exalted, whereas pleasure is portrayed as selfish and worthless.

The proper function of man is to live , not to exist . I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong  (Jack London, Credo )

The opening antithesis here gets its punch from the fact that we think of living and existing as pretty similar terms. But for London, they are opposites. Living is about having vivid experiences, learning, and being bold; simply existing is a dull, pointless thing. These two apparently similar words are used in this antithesis to emphasize the importance of living as opposed to mere existing.

The second antithesis, on the other hand, is just the opposite – in this case, London is taking two words that seem somewhat opposed (waste and prolong), and telling us that they are in fact the same . Prolonging something is making it last; wasting something is letting it run out too soon. But, says London, when it comes to life, they are the same. If you try too hard to prolong your days (that is, if you’re so worried about dying that you never face your fears and live your life), then you will end up wasting them because you will never do anything worthwhile.

V. Examples of Verisimilitude in Pop Culture

Everybody doesn’t like something, but nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee. (Sara Lee pastry advertisement)

This classic ad uses antithesis to set up a deliberate grammatical error. This is a common technique in advertising, since people are more likely to remember a slogan that is grammatically incorrect. (Even if they only remember it because they found it irritating, it still sticks in their brain, which is all that an ad needs to do.) The antithesis helps make the meaning clear, and throws the grammatical error into sharper relief.

What men must know , a boy must learn . (The Lookouts)

Here’s another example of how parallel structure can turn into antithesis fairly easily. (The structure is noun-“must”-verb. ) The antithesis also expresses the basic narrative of The Lookouts , which is all about kids learning to fend for themselves and become full-fledged adults.

Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (the band “AFI” – album title)

The antithesis here is a juxtaposition of two different actions (opening and shutting) that are actually part of the same sort of behavior – the behavior of somebody who wants to understand the world rather than be the center of attention. It’s basically a restatement of the old adage that “those who speak the most often have the least to say.”

VI. Related Terms

• Juxtaposition

Antithesis is basically a form of juxtaposition . Juxtaposition, though, is a much broader device that encompasses any deliberate use of contrast or contradiction by an author. So, in addition to antithesis, it might include:

• The scene in “The Godfather” where a series of brutal murders is intercut with shots of a baptism, juxtaposing birth and death.
• “A Song of Ice and Fire” (George R. R. Martin book series)
• Heaven and Hell
• Mountains and the sea
• Dead or alive
• “In sickness and in health”

Antithesis performs a very similar function, but does so in a more complicated way by using full sentences (rather than single words or images) to express the two halves of the juxtaposition.

Here is an antithesis built around some of the common expressions from above

• “ Sheep go to Heaven ; goats go to Hell .”
• “Beethoven’s music is as mighty as the mountains and as timeless as the sea .”
• “In sickness he loved me; in health he abandoned ”

Notice how the antithesis builds an entire statement around the much simpler juxtaposition. And, crucially, notice that each of those statements exhibits parallel grammatical structure . In this way, both Juxtaposition and parallel structures can be used to transform a simple comparison, into antithesis.

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• APA Citation
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• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
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• Intertextuality
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
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• Polysyndeton
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• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
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Meaning of antithesis in English

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• antithetical
• anything but idiom
• diametrical
• dichotomist
• dichotomous
• or otherwise idiom
• poles apart idiom

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

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Antithesis | american dictionary, examples of antithesis, translations of antithesis.

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Word of the Day

the ability to move freely or be easily moved

Keeping up appearances (Talking about how things seem)

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Antithesis: Definition, Grammartical Structure and Examples

Antithesis is a rhetorical device that involves contrasting two opposing ideas in a sentence or a paragraph. It is a powerful tool used in literature, speeches, and debates to emphasize the difference between two ideas. The word antithesis is derived from the Greek word “antitithenai,” which means “to oppose” or “to set against.”

Antithesis can be used to create a memorable impact on the audience. It draws attention to the stark contrast between two opposing ideas, making it easier for the audience to understand the message being conveyed. Antithesis can be used in various forms, such as contrasting words, phrases, or entire sentences. It is often used in famous speeches, such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, where he used antithesis to emphasize the difference between segregation and equality.

Antithesis Definitions

Greek Origins

The word “antithesis” has its roots in the Greek word “antithenai,” which means “to oppose.” The Greek word “tithenai” also contributed to the development of “antithesis,” as it means “to put, set, or place.” These Greek words were used to describe the concept of setting something in opposition to another thing, or placing two contrasting ideas side by side for comparison.

Modern Definitions

According to Merriam-Webster, “antithesis” has two primary definitions. The first definition is “the direct opposite,” while the second definition is “the rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences.” This second definition refers to the use of antithesis as a literary device, where contrasting ideas are presented in a parallel structure for emphasis or effect.

Other definitions of “antithesis” include “opposition” and “contrast.” Synonyms for “antithesis” include “contradiction,” “counterpart,” and “inverse.”

Overall, the concept of antithesis has evolved from its Greek origins to become a widely recognized literary device used in various forms of writing and speech. By presenting contrasting ideas in a parallel structure, writers and speakers can create a powerful sense of contrast and emphasis that can capture the attention of their audience.

Understanding Antithesis

In Rhetoric

Antithesis is a rhetorical device that involves the use of contrasting concepts, words, or sentences within parallel grammatical structures to create a balanced and contrasting effect. This literary device is often used to emphasize the differences between two ideas or concepts, thereby creating a more powerful and memorable message.

Antithesis is commonly used in persuasive writing and speeches, as it allows the speaker or writer to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of opposing viewpoints. By presenting two contrasting ideas side by side, the audience is able to see the differences more clearly and make a more informed decision.

In Literature

In literature, antithesis is used to create a sense of tension and drama by contrasting two opposing ideas or concepts. This technique is often used in poetry, where contrasting concepts are used to create a more powerful and memorable image or message.

In literature, antithesis is often used to create a sense of irony or contradiction, as the author juxtaposes two opposing ideas to create a more complex and nuanced message. For example, in Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, the opening lines “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” use antithesis to highlight the stark contrasts between the two cities.

In Speeches

Antithesis is a common rhetorical device used in speeches to create a more powerful and memorable message. By presenting two contrasting ideas side by side, the speaker is able to emphasize the differences between them and create a more persuasive argument.

Antithesis is often used in political speeches, where the speaker may use contrasting concepts to highlight the differences between their own policies and those of their opponents. For example, in John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address, he used antithesis when he said “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

Overall, antithesis is a powerful literary and rhetorical device that can be used in a variety of contexts to create a more memorable and persuasive message. By presenting two contrasting ideas side by side, the speaker or writer is able to highlight the differences between them and create a more nuanced and complex message that is more likely to be remembered by the audience.

Grammatical Structure

Antithesis is a rhetorical device that uses contrasting ideas in parallel grammatical structures to create emphasis and highlight the differences between them. The grammatical structure of antithesis is essential to its effectiveness, as it creates a balance between the opposing ideas and makes them more memorable to the reader or listener.

Parallelism

Parallelism is a crucial aspect of antithesis. It involves using the same grammatical structure for both contrasting ideas, such as using the same sentence structure for two opposing phrases. This technique creates a rhythmic effect that draws the reader’s attention to the contrasting ideas and emphasizes the differences between them.

For instance, Martin Luther King Jr. used parallelism in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech when he said, “Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.”

Contrasting Ideas

Antithesis relies on contrasting ideas to create a powerful effect. These ideas can be expressed through sentences, clauses, phrases, or words. The contrasting ideas must be balanced to create a harmonious effect, which is achieved through the use of parallelism.

For example, in Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar,” Mark Antony uses antithesis to compare the honorable Brutus to the treacherous Cassius. He says, “Brutus is an honorable man; so are they all, all honorable men,” emphasizing the contrast between Brutus’s character and his actions.

In conclusion, the grammatical structure of antithesis is crucial to its effectiveness. The use of parallelism and contrasting ideas creates a rhythmic effect that draws the reader’s attention and emphasizes the differences between the opposing ideas. By using a balanced grammatical structure, antithesis creates a memorable effect that enhances the impact of the message being conveyed.

Antithesis Examples

Antithesis is a literary device that positions opposite ideas parallel to each other. This section will explore some examples of antithesis in literature, speeches, and everyday life.

Antithesis is widely used in literature to create a contrast between two different ideas. One of the most famous examples of antithesis is found in Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities”: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

William Shakespeare also used antithesis in his writing. In “Romeo and Juliet,” he writes, “My only love sprung from my only hate! / Too early seen unknown, and known too late!” This example shows how antithesis can create a powerful contrast between love and hate.

Antithesis is also commonly used in speeches to emphasize opposing ideas. Martin Luther King Jr. used antithesis in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech: “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” This example highlights the contrast between living together peacefully and the consequences of not doing so.

Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is another famous example of antithesis in speeches. He said, “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us.” This example contrasts the work of those who fought with the work that still needs to be done.

In Everyday Life

Antithesis is also commonly used in everyday life, often without people realizing it. For example, the famous quote by Neil Armstrong , “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” is an example of antithesis. The contrast between the small step and the giant leap creates a powerful image of the significance of the event.

Another example of antithesis in everyday life is the phrase “no pain, no gain.” This phrase emphasizes the contrast between the discomfort of hard work and the benefits that come from it.

In conclusion, antithesis is a powerful literary device that can be used to emphasize contrasting ideas. It is commonly used in literature, speeches, and everyday life to create a memorable and impactful message.

The Impact of Antithesis

On audience.

Antithesis can have a profound impact on an audience. By presenting contrasting ideas in a balanced grammatical structure, it captures the attention of the audience and creates a sense of tension that keeps them engaged. The use of antithesis can also make content more memorable and effective, as it creates a sense of rhythm and imagery that sticks with the audience long after they have finished reading or listening.

Antithesis can be a powerful tool for writers and speakers looking to convey complex ideas in a clear and concise manner. By juxtaposing opposing ideas, it allows them to highlight the differences between them and make their point more effectively. Antithesis can also be used to create a sense of tension and drama in a piece of content, which can help to keep the audience engaged and interested.

When used effectively, antithesis can be a powerful tool for writers and speakers looking to create memorable and effective content. By capturing the attention of the audience and creating a sense of tension and drama, it can help to convey complex ideas in a clear and concise manner. Whether used for rhetorical effect or simply to create a sense of rhythm and imagery, antithesis is a powerful tool that should not be overlooked.

Antithesis and Other Literary Devices

Antithesis is often used in conjunction with other literary devices to create a more impactful effect. One such device is the oxymoron, which is a figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms. An oxymoron can be used to create a sense of irony or to highlight a paradox. For example, the phrase “bittersweet” is an oxymoron because it combines two opposite terms.

Another literary device that can be used in conjunction with antithesis is the foil. A foil is a character who is used to contrast with another character in order to highlight their differences. This can be used to create a sense of conflict or to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of a particular character. For example, in Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet,” the character of Hamlet is contrasted with the character of Laertes in order to highlight their different approaches to revenge.

While antithesis is often used to highlight contrasts and opposing ideas, it can also be used to create a sense of synthesis. Synthesis is the process of combining two or more ideas in order to create a new and more complex idea. For example, the phrase “the pen is mightier than the sword” combines the idea of writing (which is often associated with intellect) with the idea of physical force (which is often associated with strength) in order to create a new and more complex idea.

Antithesis, oxymorons, foils, and synthesis are all powerful literary devices that can be used to create a sense of comparison and contrast. By using these devices, writers can create more impactful and memorable works that speak to the complexities of mankind.

Common Misconceptions and Overuse

Antithesis is a powerful literary device that can add depth and complexity to writing. However, it is often misunderstood and overused, leading to annoying and cliché writing. In this section, we will address some common misconceptions and overuse of antithesis.

One common misconception is that antithesis must always involve a direct opposition between two ideas or words. While this is often the case, antithesis can also involve a contrast between two related ideas or words. For example, “love and hate” are direct opposites, while “love and indifference” are related but contrasting ideas.

Another misconception is that antithesis should be used in every sentence or paragraph. Overuse of antithesis can lead to annoying and cliché writing. It is important to use antithesis sparingly and only when it adds value to the writing.

Additionally, some writers may try to force antithesis into their writing, resulting in awkward and unnatural phrasing. It is important to use antithesis in a way that flows naturally and enhances the meaning of the writing.

Overall, antithesis is a powerful tool that can add depth and complexity to writing. However, it should be used sparingly and only when it adds value to the writing. Avoid overuse and forcing antithesis into writing, as this can lead to annoying and cliché writing.

In conclusion, antithesis is a rhetorical device that involves the use of contrasting or opposite ideas in a balanced grammatical structure. It is commonly used in literature, speeches, and other forms of communication to create emphasis, contrast, and impact.

Antithesis is often used in conjunction with the thesis-antithesis-synthesis dialectic, a process of logical argumentation that involves presenting a thesis, then presenting its opposite (antithesis), and finally synthesizing the two opposing viewpoints to arrive at a new conclusion.

Through the use of antithesis, writers and speakers can create a sense of tension and drama, as well as emphasize the differences between two opposing ideas. It can also be used to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of different arguments and perspectives, and to help readers or listeners come to their own conclusions about a particular topic.

Overall, antithesis is a powerful tool for writers and speakers who wish to make a strong impression on their audience. By using contrasting or opposite ideas in a balanced structure, they can create a sense of tension and drama, emphasize key points, and help their audience come to their own conclusions about a particular topic.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the definition of antithesis?

Antithesis is a figure of speech that contrasts two opposing ideas in a sentence or a phrase. It is often used to create a dramatic effect or to emphasize a point. The term comes from the Greek word “antithesis,” which means “opposition.”

Can you give an example of antithesis in literature?

One famous example of antithesis in literature is the opening lines of Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities”: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.” This sentence contrasts the two opposing ideas of good and bad, wisdom and foolishness, to emphasize the stark differences between the two cities.

How is antithesis different from juxtaposition?

Antithesis and juxtaposition are both figures of speech that involve contrasting two ideas. However, antithesis specifically involves contrasting two opposing ideas, while juxtaposition can contrast any two ideas, regardless of whether they are opposing or not.

What are some common uses of antithesis?

Antithesis is commonly used in literature, speeches, and advertising to create a memorable impact on the audience. It can be used to emphasize a point, create a dramatic effect, or to convey a deeper meaning.

What is the purpose of using antithesis in writing?

The purpose of using antithesis is to create a contrast between two opposing ideas, which can help to emphasize a point or to create a memorable impact on the audience. It can also be used to convey a deeper meaning or to create a dramatic effect.

Can you provide an example of antithesis in a school setting?

An example of antithesis in a school setting could be the phrase “knowledge is power, ignorance is weakness.” This phrase contrasts the two opposing ideas of knowledge and ignorance to emphasize the importance of education.

Related Posts:

• English Grammar
• Figures Of Speech

Antithesis: Meaning, Definition and Examples

Figures of speech , otherwise known as rhetorical devices, are used in the English language to beautify and make your language look and sound a lot more effective rather than a literal presentation of information. Each figure of speech has its function and is meant to perform its roles giving the context a unique effect. In this article, you will learn about one such figure of speech called antithesis. Read through the article to learn more about what antithesis is, its definition and how it differs from an oxymoron. You can also check out the examples and analyse how it is written for an in-depth understanding of the same.

Table of Contents

What is antithesis – meaning and definition, what differentiates an antithesis from an oxymoron, some common examples of antithesis, frequently asked questions on antithesis.

An antithesis is a figure of speech that states strongly contrasting ideas placed in juxtaposition. They contain compound sentences with the two independent clauses separated by a comma or a semicolon , in most cases. However, there are also instances where the antithesis is a compound sentence with a conjunction . An antithesis is mainly used to portray the stark difference between the two opposing ideas.

Antithesis, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a contrast between two things”, and according to the Cambridge Dictionary, “a difference or opposition between two things”. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives a more explanatory definition. According to it, antithesis is “the rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences”.

Knowing the difference between an antithesis and an oxymoron will help you comprehend and use both the rhetorical devices effectively. Take a look at the table given below to learn more.

Here are some of the most common examples of antithesis for your reference.

• Hope for the best; prepare for the worst.
• Keep your mouth closed and your eyes open.
• “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.” – Charles Dickens
• “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” – Neil Armstrong
• “Better to reign in Hell, than to serve in Heaven.” – John Milton
• Speech is silver, but silence is gold.
• “Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.” – William Shakespeare
• Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer.
• “To err is human; to forgive divine.” – Alexander Pope
• Money is the root of all evil: poverty is the fruit of all goodness.

What is antithesis?

An antithesis is a figure of speech that states strongly contrasting ideas placed in juxtaposition. They contain compound sentences with the two independent clauses separated by a comma or a semicolon, in most cases. However, there are also instances where the antithesis is a compound sentence with a conjunction.

What is the definition of antithesis?

What is the difference between antithesis and oxymoron.

The main difference between an antithesis and an oxymoron is that antithesis refers to the use of two contrasting ideas or thoughts conveyed in two independent clauses placed in juxtaposition, separated by a comma, a semicolon or a conjunction; whereas, the term ‘oxymoron’ refers to the use of two opposite words within a phrase to create an effect.

Give some examples of antithesis.

Here are a few examples of antithesis for your reference.

• “Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing.” – Goethe
• “Folks who have no vices have very few virtues.” – Abraham Lincoln
• “Man proposes, God disposes.”
• Beggars can’t be choosers.
• Be slow in choosing, but slower in changing.

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adjective as in unlike, conflicting; completely different

Strongest matches

• antagonistic
• antithetical
• contradictory
• paradoxical

Strong matches

• independent

Weak matches

• contrapositive
• corresponding
• diametrically opposed
• inconsistent
• irreconcilable
• unconnected

noun as in something completely unlike

• contradiction
• counterpart
• another adverse
• other extreme
• other side of coin

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Example sentences.

The trajectory of the Sun, meanwhile, is the opposite of Chicago’s journey.

Though this may seem like yet another effort to “get tough” on China, it does just the opposite.

Unfortunately, federal officials are doing just the opposite.

Steve Levitt tries to learn more about this one-time academic and Hollywood non-conformist, who is both very similar to him and also quite his opposite.

It had the opposite effect after Republicans protested the move.

The media tend to frame situations like this as aberrations, but in this case, quite the opposite is the truth.

But quite unlike the schmuck, and this is the fun part, they never run up the white flag; indeed quite the opposite.

Couple walked towards the opposite end of the dungeon, where she previously played with Destiny.

As Rathod noted, SIX is not supposed to be merely the opposite of ALEC.

I'm very interested in Liv Ullmann for the woman's part, opposite Sean … yes … oh, I see then.

When we speak against one capital vice, we ought to speak against its opposite; the middle betwixt both is the point for virtue.

Sam sat opposite him in perfect silence, waiting, with eager curiosity, for the termination of the scene.

The opposite of these two methods of rote learning is my method, which injects an active process between each pair of words.

A method of Vacuity pure and simple—the exact opposite of Mental Assimilation.

The characteristics of the different forms are well shown in the table on opposite page, modified from Hill.

Related Words

Words related to opposite are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word opposite . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

adverb as in next to, alongside

• in alignment
• shoulder to shoulder
• side by side

adjective as in unfavorable, antagonistic

• allergic to
• conflicting
• detrimental
• disadvantageous
• have no use for
• inopportune
• unfortunate
• unpropitious

adjective as in opposed

adjective as in reverse

• poles apart

noun as in word with opposite meaning to another word

Viewing 5 / 59 related words

On this page you'll find 126 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to opposite, such as: adverse, antagonistic, antithetical, contradictory, differing, and paradoxical.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

Antithesis is a literary device that pairs contrasting ideas together in a sentence to highlight their differences. This technique emphasizes the distinction between the ideas, making their unique characteristics more noticeable and impactful. By using antithesis, writers can draw attention to specific traits and enhance the clarity of their message.

What is an Antithesis?

Types of antithesis, conceptual antithesis.

Conceptual antithesis involves contrasting abstract ideas or theories, such as “freedom vs. slavery” or “truth vs. lies,” to emphasize ideological differences.

Structural Antithesis

This type uses parallel grammatical structures to emphasize the contrast between two opposing words or clauses, enhancing the rhythm and balance of the sentence.

Verbal Antithesis

Verbal antithesis contrasts specific words within a statement, like “best of times, worst of times,” focusing on the immediate linguistic juxtaposition.

Figurative Antithesis

Figurative antithesis employs metaphors or similes to contrast two unlike but related concepts, deepening the poetic quality and imagery of the text.

100+ Antithesis Examples

Antithesis examples illustrate how contrasting ideas can be juxtaposed to create a striking effect in language. This literary device is used by writers to emphasize differences by placing opposing concepts in close proximity within their sentences. The result is a clearer and more powerful expression of each idea.

• “Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.”
• “Many are called, but few are chosen.”
• “You are easy on the eyes, but hard on the heart.”
• “Patience is bitter, but it has a sweet fruit.”
• “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
• “Money is the root of all evils: poverty is the fruit of all goodness.”
• “Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing.”
• “Speech is silver, silence is golden.”
• “It’s not the men in my life, but the life in my men.”
• “Man proposes, God disposes.”
• “They promised freedom but provided slavery.”
• “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”
• “Let’s agree to disagree.”
• “He was too honest to be a politician and too political to be honest.”
• “She’s the sunshine of my life, but sometimes it rains.”
• “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”
• “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but you can learn a lot from them.”
• “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.”
• “It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.”
• “I am a dreamer but not the only one.”
• “We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles.”
• “I know one thing; that I know nothing.”
• “The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.”
• “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.”
• “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
• “There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future.”
• “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.”
• “The more you know, the more you realize you know nothing.”
• “To err is human; to forgive, divine.”
• “She’s as happy as she is sad.”
• “You have to be cruel to be kind.”
• “Better late than never, but never late is better.”
• “The child is the father of the man.”
• “History is written by the victors but read by the survivors.”
• “To lead the people, walk behind them.”
• “He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words.”
• “The pen is mightier than the sword.”
• “Actions speak louder than words, but words are often easier.”
• “What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.”
• “We shape our buildings; thereafter, they shape us.”
• “Prejudice is the reason of fools.”
• “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.”
• “Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.”
• “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
• “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”
• “A joke is a very serious thing.”
• “Wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is doing it.”
• “The first casualty when war comes is truth.”
• “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”
• “A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.”
• “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”
• “Not all those who wander are lost.”
• “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.”
• “If you want to make an omelette, you must be willing to break a few eggs.”
• “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
• “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
• “Every beginning has an end and every end is a new beginning.”
• “It’s better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.”
• “He who laughs last laughs best.”
• “Truth is stranger than fiction.”
• “I can resist everything except temptation.”
• “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
• “United we stand, divided we fall.”
• “The course of true love never did run smooth.”
• “He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat.”
• “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
• “Youth is wasted on the young.”
• “I must be cruel only to be kind.”
• “Good fences make good neighbors.”
• “He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying.”
• “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
• “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
• “It is always the best policy to speak the truth, unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar.”
• “Every exit is an entry somewhere else.”
• “The only source of knowledge is experience.”
• “There is nothing permanent except change.”
• “The only way to have a friend is to be one.”
• “One must be poor to know the luxury of giving.”
• “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
• “The only thing more expensive than education is ignorance.”
• “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
• “Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.”
• “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
• “Sometimes you have to be silent to be heard.”
• “Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”
• “The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.”
• “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
• “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.”
• “Hope is the dream of a waking man.”
• “A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
• “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.”
• “A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.”
• “The best way out is always through.”
• “In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is.”
• “You can do anything, but not everything.”
• “Silence is argument carried out by other means.”
• “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”
• “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
• “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
• “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.”
• “Happiness is not an ideal of reason, but of imagination.”

Famous Antithesis Examples

Antithesis can be found across classic and modern texts, bringing vivid contrast and memorable clarity to writing. Famous works often use this literary device to draw stark differences between ideas, increasing the impact of their messages.

Antithesis Examples in the Bible

The Bible frequently uses antithesis to emphasize moral contrasts and spiritual dilemmas:

• “For you are all children of light, children of the day; we are not of the night or of the darkness.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:5
• “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” — Matthew 23:12

Antithesis Examples in Letter from Birmingham Jail

Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” uses antithesis to highlight the differences between just and unjust laws, as well as the moral gap between actions and inactions:

• “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

Antithesis Examples in I Have a Dream Speech

In his iconic speech, Martin Luther King Jr. used antithesis to emphasize the disparity between the American dream and the American reality:

• “One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.”
• “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Antithesis Examples For Kids

Antithesis can also be simplified for children to help them understand opposites in a memorable way:

• “The hero was brave, the villain was cowardly.”
• “She was as quiet as a mouse, he was as loud as a lion.”

How to Use Antithesis

Identify opposing concepts.

Start by identifying two ideas that contrast sharply with each other. These could be qualities, actions, philosophies, or characters.

Create Parallel Structures

Structure your sentence in a way that parallels the opposing ideas. This symmetry helps to highlight the contrast and makes the sentence easier to follow.

Choose Concise Language

Use clear and concise language to express each idea. The sharper the wording, the more effective the antithesis.

Place for Emphasis

Use antithesis in parts of your writing where you want to create a strong, memorable impact, such as in conclusions, thesis statements, or key arguments.

Balance the Sentence

Ensure that both halves of the antithesis are balanced in terms of length and syntactic structure to maintain a rhythmic flow and enhance readability.

Tips for Using Antithesis

• Understand Your Ideas Fully : Before creating an antithesis, make sure you fully understand the ideas or themes you want to contrast. Clear understanding allows for sharper distinctions.
• Use Parallel Structure : Employ parallelism in your sentences when using antithesis. This means keeping the grammatical structures of the contrasting parts similar, which not only emphasizes the contrast but also makes your sentence more rhythmic and easier to understand.
• Keep It Balanced : Ensure that the contrasting elements in the antithesis are balanced in terms of length and syntactic complexity. A balanced structure increases the impact of the contrast.
• Select Appropriate Context : Use antithesis in contexts where highlighting a contrast can strengthen your argument or enhance the poetic quality of your writing. It’s particularly effective in speeches, persuasive essays, and poetry.
• Focus on Clarity : While it’s tempting to use elaborate language, clarity should always be your priority. Choose words that make the contrasting ideas clear and accessible, especially if your audience is broad or diverse.
• Practice Moderation : Although antithesis can be very effective, using it too frequently in a piece of writing can become overwhelming or reduce its impact. Use it sparingly to ensure that each instance stands out and serves a specific purpose.
• Revise for Impact : After writing a sentence with antithesis, revise it to see if the contrast could be stronger or the wording more precise. Editing allows you to refine the structure and wording for maximum impact.

How to pronounce antithesis?

Antithesis is pronounced as an- TITH -eh-sis.

What is a synonym for the word antithesis?

A synonym for antithesis is opposition .

What is an example of an antithesis in a movie?

In “The Dark Knight,” Batman and Joker represent antithesis: order versus chaos.

What is the purpose of using antithesis?

The purpose of using antithesis is to make the differences between two opposing ideas more vivid, enhancing the effectiveness of the message or argument.

Can antithesis be used in everyday conversation?

Yes, antithesis can be used in everyday conversation to emphasize a point or clarify the distinction between two contrasting ideas.

What are common examples of antithesis?

Common examples include phrases like “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” or “Speech is silver, but silence is golden.”

How does antithesis affect the reader?

Antithesis captures the reader’s attention by creating a stark contrast, making the text more memorable and persuasive.

Is antithesis only used in literature?

No, antithesis is used in various forms of writing and speech, including literature, speeches, advertising, and everyday dialogue.

How can antithesis enhance persuasive writing?

Antithesis sharpens the contrasts in persuasive writing, making arguments clearer and more compelling by highlighting the stakes and choices.

What should be avoided when using antithesis?

Avoid overusing antithesis or forcing unnatural contrasts, as this can make writing seem contrived or unclear. Keep the contrasts relevant and impactful.

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How New Words Get Added To Dictionary.com—And How The Dictionary Works

• How Words Get Into The Dictionary
• Why Certain Words Are In The Dictionary
• Adding Words That Aren't Considered New
• Can A Word You Create Get In?
• What About Offensive Words?

Language is a living thing, and so is Dictionary.com. Our dictionary will always be a work in progress—there’s no day in the future when we’ll mark it “complete” after adding the last word.

This never-ending work is the job of our lexicographers , the (amazingly talented) people who write and edit the dictionary. They do more than just add and define words. They also add new definitions to existing entries for words that have developed new senses over time. They revise definitions that have become outdated or have otherwise changed. And they add and update other key lexicographical content, like pronunciations and etymologies.

📖 Frequently asked questions about the dictionary

But it’s the newly added words that generate the most attention—and questions. Here are some of the most frequently asked, along with our honest answers.

🤔 How does a word get into the dictionary? 👎 That’s not a word. Why is it in the dictionary? 🦖 That word isn’t new. Why are you adding it now? 🙋 I just created an awesome new word. How can I get it into the dictionary? 🚫 This word is offensive. Why don’t you remove it from the dictionary?

How does a word get into the dictionary?

This is one of the most common questions we get—and it’s a great one.

The answer involves one of the most misunderstood things about dictionaries, so let’s set the record straight: a word doesn’t become a “real word” when it’s added to the dictionary. It’s actually the other way around: we add words to the dictionary because they’re real—because they’re really used by real people in the real world.

The criteria

In other words, our lexicographers add a word to the dictionary when they determine that:

• It’s a word that’s used by a lot of people.
• It’s used by those people in largely the same way.
• It’s likely to stick around.
• And it’s useful for a general audience.

All four of these points are important. Our lexicographers look for use not just by one person, but by a lot of people. Of course, many words have different shades of meaning for different people. But to be added to the dictionary, a word must have a shared meaning (that is, it must communicate a widely agreed-upon meaning from one person to the next). If everyone used a word in a completely different way, we wouldn’t be able to give it a definition, right?

Prescriptive vs. Descriptive

As we define it, our mission as a dictionary is to document words as they are actually used. In the world of dictionaries, this approach is called descriptivism . The opposite is prescriptivism , an approach that frames the dictionary in the role of a gatekeeper and is based on prescribing (setting rules for) how words should or should not be used. While prescriptivists might say a slang term is “not a real word,” descriptivists will look at the same term and do research to see if and how it’s commonly used in order to describe (document) its use. (Read more about this in the next FAQ, “ That’s not a word. ”)

We must acknowledge that, historically, dictionaries have been gatekeepers to nonstandard words and usage (especially those that originate in non-dominant groups), but we at Dictionary.com take very seriously our role and responsibility in ensuring that our dictionary reflects and respects the language of people as they use it.

Our lexicographers will be the first to tell you that documenting language in this way is a “messy business.” It takes a lot of research—and patience.

Identifying and tracking candidates

Lexicographers track a vast number of terms and topics, read a wide variety of writing and transcribed speech, and use corpora (big, searchable collections of texts) to see how terms are actually being used. They then distill this research into concise, informative definitions (along with supplementary information, such as pronunciations or notes about whether a word is offensive, for example).

Because we take this approach, our dictionary contains all kinds of words: standard words, slang words, dialect words, nonstandard words, and more. (Yes, this includes curse words and slurs. Read more about this in the FAQ “ This word is offensive. ”)

Staying power: prioritizing what gets added

Our main dictionary is a general dictionary, as opposed to a specialized one (like, for example, a medical dictionary—which we do also feature on the site). This means we have to prioritize the addition of terms based on whether the average person will be likely to encounter them—and whether it’s probable that people will continue to use them. For that reason, our lexicographers often wait until a word has gained some currency in the mainstream before selecting it for addition. (Read more about this in the FAQ “ That word isn’t new. ”)

Short answer : Lexicographers typically wait to add a word to our dictionary until they’ve determined that it has met these criteria:

• It has relatively widespread use.
• It has a widely agreed-upon meaning.
• It seems to have staying power—meaning it’s likely to be used for a long time.
• And it will be useful for a general audience.

That’s not a word. Why is it in the dictionary?

First off, we’re not fans of saying that something is “not a word.” Just because a word isn’t (yet) in the dictionary doesn’t mean that it’s “not a word” or that it’s not a “real word.”

Sometimes, people don’t think a word counts as a word if it’s informal, slang, “too new,” or a term they perceive to be “incorrect.” Irregardless (😉) of how you (or we) may feel personally about a particular word, our mission is to be descriptive—we work to describe and document language as it is really used (not just how we or others may want it to be used).

It’s important to note that judgments about what “counts” as a word often originate in conscious or unconscious biases, particularly about other people’s education, identity, or level of language proficiency.

Like we explained in the answer to the last question, we add a word to the dictionary when we observe a lot of people using it in the same way—and this includes many informal, slang, and nonstandard terms. You have the freedom to decide whether or not to use a word, but just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it ain’t a word.

Short answer : Our mission is to document and define words as they’re actually used—not to be gatekeepers or make rules about what is or is “not a word.” And just because a word is not in the dictionary doesn’t mean it’s not a word.

Do you think supposably belongs in the dictionary? Find out why it’s there.

That word isn’t new. Why are you adding it now?

Just because a word is newly added to our dictionary doesn’t mean it’s brand new to the English language. That’s why we like to refer to newly added words as “new entries,” as opposed to “new words,” which can imply that they’ve very recently been coined.

In fact, it’s rare for us to add a very recently coined term unless it’s clear that it has rapidly gained widespread use and that such use is likely to continue. Brand new words sometimes burn brightly but then quickly die out, so our lexicographers look for evidence of staying power in the lexicon. It takes time to gather such evidence and for words to settle in. This is especially the case for informal words that originate in a particular dialect or group, which take time to spread from speech to writing, an important part of evidence-gathering.

Waiting so long to add some terms may make it look like we’re behind the times, like a person who sounds cheugy for using a trendy slang term way after its moment has passed. It’s an occupational hazard, but with so many possible terms to add, we have to make tough decisions about what to prioritize. Especially since prioritizing one word may mean pushing another down on the list. (And yes, there is a list. More like lists of lists.)

As a general dictionary, we have to prioritize adding words that the average person will be likely to encounter. For that reason, our lexicographers are always on the lookout for breakthrough moments when a specialized word spreads into more common, mainstream use (such as all the epidemiology terms that became household words during the pandemic).

If you’ve come across a word that is in widespread use but that doesn’t appear in the dictionary, chances are that our lexicographers are already in the process of compiling the information they need to give it its due home. (In other words, it’s probably already on the list.)

Short answer : We rarely add “new” words. We wait to add a word to the dictionary until we’ve determined that it has gained relatively widespread use and is likely to stick around. Also, there are a lot of words to keep track of, so sometimes it takes us a while.

Keep Learning New Words Every Day!

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I just created an awesome new word. How can I get it into the dictionary?

First of all, the word you made up is a word—don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It’s a word because you’ve given it a meaning that can be shared and understood by others.

A lot of us make up new words. They’re called neologisms or coinages . Making up new words is fun, creative, and—especially when that word addresses a gap in the language—an extremely useful thing to do.

But for your word to get into the dictionary, it has to have meaning not just for you, or for you and a few friends and family members, but for a lot of people. Our lexicographers need evidence that the word is being used by many people in a meaningful, sustained way.

Don’t be discouraged. A lot of words that are now very common were straight up made up. They started as one person’s idea and other people found them so useful that they spread and spread until they found a place in the language—and the dictionary.

Short answer : Keep using your word until it catches on, and when it does, our lexicographers will surely take note! Our dictionary is full of words whose coiner is named in the origin section.

This word is offensive. Why don’t you remove it from the dictionary?

We believe our mission of accurately documenting how language is used in real life is valuable for many reasons.

However, our inclusion of a word in the dictionary never implies or indicates endorsement, promotion, or approval of that word. Including a word as a dictionary entry does not mean that we think you should use it.

In fact, there are actually many, many words in our dictionary that we strongly believe no one should ever use. These words are called slurs . Why are they in the dictionary, then?

We understand and acknowledge that encountering such terms anywhere—even and perhaps especially in a dictionary—can be harmful to the people they were created to target. We wish we had the power to prevent people from ever wanting to use slurs. But we strongly believe that removing them from the dictionary would not have the effect of preventing or discouraging people from using them. In fact, we strongly believe it would have the opposite effect.

We work to ensure that such words are not included in the dictionary without context—slurs are clearly labeled as offensive and often appear alongside major usage notes explaining why.

Without these entries and the information that accompanies them, we believe that it would make it easier for people who use slurs to continue making many of the usual excuses that they make when they’re called out for using them: that the slur doesn’t really mean what people claim it means; that it’s not really offensive; or that it wasn’t intended to be offensive (that it was simply being used as a harmless joke). These statements about slurs may sound familiar, but none of them are ever true: slurs are, by definition, intended to be harmful and offensive.

For the very reason that the use of such words is so pervasive and harmful, we feel it’s important that they remain in the dictionary, where their meaning, use, and history can be documented, and where they can be clearly labeled as offensive.

Short answer : Removing words from the dictionary does not make them cease to exist or prevent them from being used. And the inclusion of a word in the dictionary is not an endorsement of its use. An important part of the work of a dictionary is documenting slurs and labeling them as what they are—intentionally offensive—so that their use cannot be excused.

So ... how many words are there in the English language?

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Hobbies & Passions

[ ih- buhl -y uh nt, ih- b oo l - ]

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Donald Trump found guilty: Will he go to prison? What to know ahead of sentencing

Donald Trump is the first former president convicted of a crime and now he could be the first one sent to jail or prison.

Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, opening up the possibility that he could be incarcerated .

Not only is Trump the first former president be convicted of a crime, he is also the presumptive Republican nominee lined up for a likely rematch with President Joe Biden in November.

Even though jail time is on the table for his conviction, he is expected to appeal the jury's decision. Legal experts told USA TODAY any jail or prison sentence likely won't take effect until after his appeal plays out, pushing it past the November election.

Here is what to know about a possible incarceration sentence:

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Live updates: Former President Donald Trump found guilty on all counts in NY criminal hush money case

Can Trump go to prison?

Yes. Each felony count of falsifying business records − elevated to a felony because prosecutors proved the purpose was to commit or conceal another crime − carries a maximum sentence of four years. However, New York caps such sentencing the type of felonies Trump faced – Class E felonies –  at 20 years .

Some New York litigators and legal experts told USA TODAY that Trump is likely to face only probation.

"With a defendant who has no prior criminal record, my absolute expectation would be a sentence of probation," Mitchell Epner, a New York litigator with decades of experience, said ahead of the trial.

Others said jail or prison time is very much on the table, but likely under four years and potentially limited to months.

Norman Eisen, a Brookings Institution senior fellow who served as special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee during Trump's first impeachment, co-authored a report looking at sentencing for other defendants with no criminal history who were convicted of falsifying business records in New York.

Eisen noted one construction executive was sentenced in 2015 to spend two days per week in jail for a year for falsifying records to hide payments in a bribery scheme. In 2013, two corporate executives were sentenced to between four and six months of jail time for falsifying records to misclassify their salaries as expenses under their employer's larger bribery and fraud scheme.

"This is a case that does not involve any physical violence, and it doesn't – there's not sort of a 'named victim,' so to speak – and so the court is going to take that into consideration," Anna Cominsky, who directs the Criminal Defense Clinic at New York Law School, told USA TODAY.

Cominsky added, however, that it will "be very dependent on – and also very interesting to see – what the prosecutor asks for."

At a press conference following the verdict, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg declined to preview what he will recommend to the judge.

Experts weigh in: If Trump is found guilty, will Americans still be able to vote for him?

When will Trump be sentenced?

Judge Juan Merchan will issue Trump's sentence in a July 11 hearing. Merchan instructed Trump's defense team to file any post-conviction motions by June 13, and told the prosecution to respond by June 27. Those filings could include arguments from both sides about Trump's sentence.

Defendants are sometimes "remanded" pending sentencing, or kept in custody while they wait for their sentence.

But legal experts told USA TODAY that is unlikely in this case.

Can Trump bring the Secret Service to jail?

Even before the conviction, logistical questions about Trump going to jail came up when he repeatedly violated a gag order restricting his public comments on witnesses and jurors.

Among those questions is how the Secret Service will continue to work with Trump. He receives around-the-clock protection as a former president, which no judge has previously had to consider in a sentencing.

"If I were the judge − and I don't know what a judge would do in this case − I would reject out of hand the concept that because he was once president, and because as a matter of policy the Secret Service guards former presidents, that therefore he can't go to jail," said John Moscow, a New York lawyer who spent 30 years in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

Moscow told USA TODAY ahead of the trial that the judge could get creative – for example, order the former president to stay in a hotel wing or military base.

Merchan previously threatened to jail Trump if he continued to violate a gag order in the case, even as the judge acknowledged concerns about Trump's Secret Service protection.

"There are many reasons why incarceration is truly a last resort," Merchan said on May 6 of the trial . While he said he didn't want to jail Trump over the gag order, he would "if necessary and appropriate."

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• NHL Prospects Last Word On Hockey has been providing extensive coverage of NHL prospects for a decade. Having been featured in some of the top publications, our in-house prospect analysis is considered amongst the most extensive available. Our writers across Canada, the United States, and Europe are constantly updating notes to provide the best coverage possible.

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Nhl rumours: new york rangers goalie could seek hefty raise.

• June 4, 2024

Tommy Bennett

Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours! We first took a look at what the New Jersey Devils could do at the draft. However, their cross town rival New York Rangers have a contract that will need to be addressed. Today’s Rumours swirl around goaltender Igor Shesterkin .

NHL Rumours

Rumour: Mollie Walker of the NY Post discusses the latest contract updates for Igor Shesterkin.

With the Rangers being eliminated from the postseason, it is time to focus on the future. There is no question or doubt that the time to win is now. The core of this group is locked up for the foreseeable future, which is a good thing. Veterans such as Artemi Panarin , Chris Kreider , and Mika Zibanejad .

Chris Drury has done a good job of keeping the youth in the fold and making them part of the future plans. Alexis Lafreniere took the necessary steps in his career and there is more youth on the way. However, the biggest key to the future lies between the pipes. Shesterkin is the most valuable player on the roster and his next contract is hefty.

Shesterkin’s Contract Extension Could be Hefty

The latest NHL Rumours swirl around the crease. Shesterkin is without question a top five goaltender and he played like one. During the 2023-24 season, he started slow and then turned a corner. He went on to finish the year with a 2.58 goals-against-average and a .912 save percentage. Also, his 12.1 goals saved above expected was stellar. However, it is not just his regular season success that stands out it was his playoff success.

Shesterkin was a large part of the Rangers post-season run and the team making it to the Eastern Conference Final. During the 2023-24 post-season run, his 15.7 goals saved above expected was the fourth best since 2007 . Also, he led in this very category during the 2021-22 Stanley Cup Playoffs, where the Rangers also reached the last four.

Safe to say, he has been the backbone of the Rangers and is without question their most valuable asset. Drury has his hands full by trying to keep him in the fold and it won’t be cheap. The demand for goalies is going to be great should Shesterkin get out on the open market.

The Price Tag

On July 1, the Rangers can begin contract extension talks. New York Islanders Ilya Sorokin just inked a contract extension with an AAV of $8 million. Also, Andrei Vasilevskiy makes $9.5 million, and it is safe to say he has surpassed their level of play. These guys are among the best in the game at the position, so Shesterkin has a benchmark.

There’s reason to believe that Shesterkin and his camp are seeking $12 million per year on his next deal. That would be the highest contract ever for a goaltender. The price tag would be hefty, but Shesterkin has proved his worth.

Main Photo: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

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Are the Montreal Canadiens Goalies a Roster Strength in Establishing Offseason To-Do List?

The Montreal Canadiens roster does have pieces that General Manager Kent Hughes would like to consider as complete. The fortunate thing for Hughes and company

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Doctor who season 14's "dot & bubble" is the exact opposite of the episode immediately before it.

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Doctor Who Season 14 Cast & Character Guide: Who Appears In Each Episode

Doctor who: why blink's sally sparrow never returned, doctor who season 14, episode 5 ending explained: why lindy refuses the doctor's help.

Warning: spoilers ahead for Doctor Who season 14, episodes 4 & 5.

• "Dot & Bubble" and "73 Yards" are both Doctor-lite episodes, but polar opposites
• "73 Yards" shows the good side of the Doctor-lite format, whereas "Dot & Bubble" highlights the drawbacks.
• "73 Yards" finds more success in both replacing the Doctor and crafting a unique single-episode story.

Doctor Who 's "Dot & Bubble" is the polar opposite of the episode that came immediately before it, "73 Yards." Both offerings stray wildly from the established Doctor Who formula, with "73 Yards" more akin to a folky horror tale and "Dot & Bubble" comparable to a toned-down Black Mirror story. Both scripts flowed from the quill of Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies , and continue season 14's pattern of broadening the show's creative palette.

"73 Yards" and "Dot & Bubble" do share one thing in common: dropping the Doctor as lead character. Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor mysteriously disappears in the opening scene of "73 Yards," only returning at the very end. Fifteen enjoys slightly more screen time in "Dot & Bubble," but appears solely via video call except for one in-person scene during the dying minutes. Since both are Doctor-lite, it would be natural to lump Doctor Who season 14's fourth and fifth episodes together. In truth, "Dot & Bubble" is the antithesis of "73 Yards."

Doctor Who season 14 is Ncuti Gatwa's first full outing as the Doctor, and he is joined by an exciting cast of newcomers and familiar faces.

"73 Yards" & "Dot & Bubble" Show Opposing Sides Of Doctor Who's Doctor-Lite Format

Doctor who season 14 shows the good, the bad & the lindy.

Episodes that relegate the Doctor to a supporting or minimal role have become a staple of the modern Doctor Who era. Unsurprisingly, such episodes tend to be hit-or-miss affairs. When writers drop the Doctor, they either engage more creatively with Doctor Who 's premise and conjure up some clever new conceit, or do something very odd that feels utterly out of place within the Whoniverse. For every "Blink" - often hailed as one of Doctor Who 's best stories ever - there's a "Love & Monsters." "73 Yards" and "Dot & Bubble" perfectly demonstrate those two faces of the Doctor-lite coin.

"73 Yards" is not quite a modern classic on the same level as "Blink," just as "Dot & Bubble" is nowhere near the campy car crash of "Love & Monsters." Nevertheless, airing consecutively in Doctor Who season 14's episode schedule allows audiences to witness the good, the bad, and the ugly of Doctor-lite episodes in a single two-week hit. Such stories typically arrive once per season, if at all, so getting double Doctor-lite episodes back-to-back offers a rare chance for a direct comparison of what works and what doesn't.

"73 Yards" & "Dot & Bubble" Show How To Replace The Doctor (& How Not To)

The doctor isn't an easy lead character to replace.

The most daunting challenge for any Doctor-lite episode is finding a central figure to take the Doctor's place - someone who embodies the same core qualities and values that the Time Lord themself holds dear. This can mean elevating a companion into the Doctor's berth, or introducing a new character who exhibits those crucial traits. All the best Doctor-lite efforts have managed this transition successfully, with "Turn Left" starring the inspired duo of Donna Noble and Rose Tyler, and "Blink" debuting Carey Mulligan as Sally Sparrow.

Sally Sparrow from Doctor Who season 3’s “Blink” never returned even though she could have made a great companion.

"73 Yards" strikes gold with its decision to afford Millie Gibson her own solo episode. Despite her relative inexperience as an actor, Gibson ably carries the protagonist burden in Ncuti Gatwa's absence , evoking sympathy from the audience and navigating Ruby Sunday's emotional journey through RTD's time-bending script with skill beyond her years.

"Dot & Bubble" does the exact opposite. Callie Cooke's performance is impressive, certainly, but Lindy Pepper-Bean is written to be deliberately detestable and endlessly annoying - about as qualified to become a great Doctor Who companion as Davros. Without a central figure audiences care about and can root for, "Dot & Bubble" lacks an effective anchor. "Love & Monsters" made the same error back in 2006. Elton and his friends in LINDA may not have been as frustrating and awful as Lindy, but they were still relatively limp stand-ins for the missing Doctor.

"Dot & Bubble" Makes The Doctor-Lite Story Mistake "73 Yards" Didn't

"73 yards" is ambitious, but "dot & bubble" does too much.

Without the Doctor around, Doctor Who 's Doctor-lite episodes rely more heavily on unique and witty concepts like exploring a Doctor-less timeline or trying not to blink. The fine balance between crafting a bold premise and remaining on the edge of good taste is a big reason why modern Doctor-lite episodes have been both sublime and ridiculous. "73 Yards" echoes what worked so well for "Turn Left" by depicting a companion-led alternate reality , this time with a horror twist. Essentially a ghost story, the premise hits that sweet spot of being ambitious and fresh without overreaching itself.

Again, "Dot & Bubble" does the opposite. Aiming for more of a satirical slant, Doctor Who season 14, episode 5 comments on a myriad of hot topics: the power of social media, racial discrimination, online celebrity culture, class elitism, and the ethical questions over AI sentience. Any one of those themes could have made for a strong Doctor Who story, but by attempting to cover all bases, "Dot & Bubble" dilutes its own message. On this occasion, a Doctor-lite episode's ambition overreaches its modest runtime.

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Originally premiered in 1963, Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that follows a powerful being known as a Time Lord, referred to as the Doctor. Using an interdimensional time-traveling ship known as the TARDIS, the Doctor travels time and space with various companions as they solve multiple problems and help avert catastrophe as much as they almost cause it. Though the Doctor is always the same character, they experience regenerations, allowing them to be recast every few seasons as a unique immortal being with new personality traits.

Kris Jenner remembers the last words friend Nicole Brown Simpson told her

Kris Jenner revealed  the last time she heard from Nicole Brown Simpson  before she was found dead in June 1994.

Jenner spoke about her last conversation with her friend in the third episode of the Lifetime documentary  “The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson,”  which aired on June 2.

“Nicole said, ‘OK, we are gonna go visit Faye (Resnick) and make sure that somebody’s there for her every day,’” Jenner said, referring to their mutual friend who had relapsed and entered treatment. “So she made a schedule for us.”

Resnick is also featured in the documentary.

“So I remember it was Nicole’s day, and Nicole and I spoke and she goes, ‘No, Faye’s having a good day, I’m leaving, your day’s tomorrow,’” Jenner recalled. “That was the last time I spoke to her.”

Brown Simpson was  found stabbed to death  at age 35 outside of her home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on June 12, 1994. Her friend Ronald Goldman was also fatally stabbed during the incident.

Jenner, 68, reflected upon her friend’s death in the documentary.

“You never get over losing a friend that way,” Jenner said. “And I think I pack it down so far deep inside, you know? It’s been 30 years.”

She concluded by saying, “One of the worst days I’ve ever experienced.”

Brown Simpson’s ex-husband O.J. Simpson  was later charged with murder in connection with her and Goldman’s deaths, leading to an infamous car chase throughout Southern California as he  attempted to evade arrest in a Ford Bronco .

Jenner’s ex-husband, Robert Kardashian, was  one of the defense attorneys representing Simpson  in the murder trial. Kardashian and Jenner had divorced in 1991. Following the trial, jurors acquitted the former NFL player of the murder charges on Oct. 3, 1995.

Simpson was later found liable for Brown Simpson and Goldman’s deaths in a civil trial in 1997. He served time for an armed robbery unrelated to Brown Simpson and Goldman’s murders. He  died at age 76 of cancer  in April 2024.

Dominique Brown, one of Brown Simpson’s sisters,  told TODAY.com  in an interview earlier this month Simpson’s death came as a shock to her family.

“I don’t think any of us knew the extent of his illness,” she said. “It’s 47 years that we knew him, that he had been a part of our lives. Every time there was something in the news, it impacted us. Constant reminders that she’s not here anymore.”

Brown Simpson’s sisters said they participated in the Lifetime docuseries to help share their sister’s story.

“We want to be able to humanize Nicole. We want to be able to bring her back to life for people who don’t know her,” Denise Brown said.

“So many people have said, ‘We don’t know anything about her. We don’t know what she sounds like,’” she added. “We bought a bunch of friends together that had never spoken about Nicole. All new people.”

Dominique Brown summarized: “New people, new stories, new memories. It all meshed really beautifully.”

Synonyms of antonym

• as in opposite
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Thesaurus Definition of antonym

Synonyms & Similar Words

• counterpoint
• mirror image

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• counterpart
• carbon copy

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“Antonym.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antonym. Accessed 4 Jun. 2024.

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OpenAI didn’t copy Scarlett Johansson’s voice for ChatGPT, records show

A different actress was hired to provide the voice for ChatGPT’s “Sky,” according to documents and recordings shared with the Washington Post.

When OpenAI issued a casting call last May for a secret project to endow OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT with a human voice, the flier had several requests: The actors should be nonunion. They should sound between 25 and 45 years old. And their voices should be “warm, engaging [and] charismatic.”

One thing the artificial intelligence company didn’t request, according to interviews with multiple people involved in the process and documents shared by OpenAI in response to questions from The Washington Post: a clone of actress Scarlett Johansson.

On Monday, Johansson cast a pall over the release of improved AI voices for ChatGPT, alleging that OpenAI had copied her voice after she refused a request by CEO Sam Altman to license it. The claim by Johansson, who played a sultry virtual AI assistant in the 2013 movie “Her,” seemed to be bolstered by a cryptic social media post by Altman greeting a demo of the product. The post said, simply, “her.”

But while many hear an eerie resemblance between “Sky” and Johansson’s “Her” character, an actress was hired in June to create the Sky voice, months before Altman contacted Johansson, according to documents, recordings, casting directors and the actress’s agent.

The agent, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing the safety of her client, said the actress confirmed that neither Johansson nor the movie “Her” were ever mentioned by OpenAI. The actress’s natural voice sounds identical to the AI-generated Sky voice, based on brief recordings of her initial voice test reviewed by The Post. The agent said the name Sky was chosen to signal a cool, airy and pleasant sound.

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OpenAI paused the use of Sky in ChatGPT on Sunday, publishing a blog post detailing the lengthy process of developing five different AI voices, first released in September. In response to Johansson’s claims, Altman said in a statement that OpenAI “never intended” the Sky voice to resemble Johansson’s and that a voice actor had been cast before he contacted her.

Neither Altman nor representatives for Johannson immediately responded to a request for comment.

The public has quickly rallied behind Johansson , with speculators swapping theories on social media that OpenAI constructed Sky using footage from “Her” or recordings of Johansson’s voice.

Johansson’s claim — that her likeness was stolen without consent — echoes growing scrutiny of the AI company’s practice of scraping copyrighted content and creative work from the internet to train tools such as AI chatbots. Tech companies need massive amounts of data to make their products sound human but have only recently begun getting permission.

Joanne Jang, who leads AI model behavior for OpenAI, said that the company selected actors who were eager to work on an AI product. She played the actors a sample AI version of their voice to demonstrate how realistic the technology could sound . Jang said she also “gave them an out” if they were uncomfortable with the surreal job of being a voice for ChatGPT.

Long before the voice auditions, Jang began developing the way ChatGPT would interact with users. She worked closely with a film director hired by OpenAI to help develop the technology’s personality. For instance, if a user asked, “Will you be my girlfriend?” Jang wanted the AI tool to respond with clear boundaries, but also let them down easy.

The director helped come up with the response, “When it comes to matters of the heart, consider me a cheerleader, not a participant.”

Jang said she “kept a tight tent” around the AI voices project, making Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati the sole decision-maker to preserve the artistic choices of the director and the casting office. Altman was on his world tour during much of the casting process and not intimately involved, she said.

Mitch Glazier, the chief executive of the Recording Industry Association of America, said that Johansson may have a strong case against OpenAI if she brings forth a lawsuit.

He compared Johansson’s case to one brought by the singer Bette Midler against the Ford Motor Co. in the 1980s. Ford asked Midler to use her voice in ads. After she declined, Ford hired an impersonator. A U.S. appellate court ruled in Midler’s favor, indicating her voice was protected against unauthorized use.

But Mark Humphrey, a partner and intellectual property lawyer at Mitchell, Silberberg and Knupp, said any potential jury probably would have to assess whether Sky’s voice is identifiable as Johansson’s.

Several factors go against OpenAI, he said, namely Altman’s tweet and his outreach to Johansson in September and May. “It just begs the question: It’s like, if you use a different person, there was no intent for it to sound like Scarlett Johansson. Why are you reaching out to her two days before?” he said. “That would have to be explained.”

To Jang, who spent countless hours listening to the actress and keeps in touch with the human actors behind the voices, Sky sounds nothing like Johansson, although the two share a breathiness and huskiness.

In a statement from the Sky actress provided by her agent, she wrote that at times the backlash “feels personal being that it’s just my natural voice and I’ve never been compared to her by the people who do know me closely.”

However, she said she was well-informed about what being a voice for ChatGPT would entail. “[W]hile that was unknown and honestly kinda scary territory for me as a conventional voice over actor, it is an inevitable step toward the wave of the future.”

Pranshu Verma contributed to this report.

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Trump and His Allies Push False Account of What the Judge Told Jurors

A tweet from a Fox News anchor falsely said that the jury would not have to settle unanimously on a charge to find the former president guilty.

By Jesse McKinley

• May 30, 2024

It was a shocking assertion for anyone with even a passing knowledge of American jurisprudence: The judge overseeing the trial of Donald J. Trump had said that jurors could individually choose from a menu of different crimes to find the former president guilty, so long as the total of votes added up to 12.

It was also untrue.

The suggestion — made in an online post by the Fox News anchor John Roberts — nonetheless found an immediate and massive audience, with some 5.7 million views on X, formerly known as Twitter. Surrogates and allies of Mr. Trump quickly amplified its arguments, as did Mr. Trump himself.

“Judge Merchan just told the jury that they do not need unanimity to convict,” Mr. Roberts wrote. “4 could agree on one crime, 4 on a different one, and the other 4 on another. He said he would treat 4-4-4 as a unanimous verdict.”

In fact, all 12 jurors must agree to find Mr. Trump guilty in order to convict him of any one of the felonies with which he has been charged: 34 counts of falsifying business records. The judge in the case, Juan M. Merchan, repeatedly made this clear, saying in his instructions to the jury: “Each count you consider, whether guilty or not guilty, must be unanimous.”

Mr. Roberts sought to clarify his post in an interview on Thursday. By then, the idea that a non-unanimous verdict was possible had been spread by the former president and presumptive Republican nominee, as well as by his supporters.

The manner in which Mr. Trump and his allies seized on Mr. Roberts’s post reflects a right-wing media ecosystem that has been fine-tuned to create and circulate disinformation that can harm Democrats and boost political favorites, a cycle that has already been active during Mr. Trump’s trial . That process has included sustained attacks on institutions long considered both impartial and resistant to politics, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice and the courts.

Condemnations of Justice Merchan’s jury instructions soon came from Stephen Miller , a former top White House adviser; the former judge and Fox News host Jeanine Pirro ; and Mr. Trump’s son Eric, who suggested his father didn’t even know what he was being charged with until Wednesday morning. (Mr. Trump has known the 34 charges he faces since last year.)

Stephen K. Bannon, the former Trump adviser and conservative media host, referred to the supposed instructions as “4-4-4” and brought experts onto his television program to call it unconstitutional . And Republican political figures like Senator Marco Rubio of Florida , considered a possible pick to be Mr. Trump’s running mate, also chimed in, suggesting that the judge’s instruction indicated the case was “exactly the kind of sham trial used against political opponents of the regime in the old Soviet Union.”

Mr. Trump himself on Wednesday afternoon posted on Truth Social, his social media platform, that “IT IS RIDICULOUS, UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND UNAMERICAN” that Justice Merchan “is not requiring a unanimous decision on the fake charges against me.”

“A THIRD WORLD ELECTION INTERFERENCE HOAX!,” he concluded .

Mr. Roberts made the posting as Justice Merchan instructed the jury on Wednesday morning on how the law should be applied in the case. Mr. Trump is accused of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 hush-money payment that was made to a porn star just before the 2016 election.

In those instructions , Justice Merchan explained that under New York state law , falsifying business records is a felony only when it is done to conceal a second crime.

Prosecutors say that Mr. Trump falsified records to conceal a violation of a little-known state election law — Section 17-152 — that forbids conspiracies “to promote or prevent” a person’s election “by unlawful means.”

Justice Merchan made clear that the “unlawful means” mentioned in the election law could include violations of any of three other measures: a federal law governing election contributions, a state law governing false business records or tax laws, including those at a state or federal level.

Justice Merchan then said that while the jury would have to “conclude unanimously” that Mr. Trump had violated Section 17-152 to find Mr. Trump guilty, they did not have to be unanimous about the “unlawful means” that were used.

In other words, the jurors did not have to agree on which of the three other laws had been violated as he conspired to win election. The judge’s instruction is consistent with case law on the topic.

In an interview on Thursday, Mr. Roberts — who anchors an afternoon show from Washington and was not in the courtroom when the jury instructions were read — said he had “never intended in that tweet to suggest that fewer than 12 jurors can convict Donald Trump of a crime."

“I was talking about the underlying predicate crime,” Mr. Roberts said, citing the relevant passage. “I clarified, to a greater degree, the facts of the jury charge in response to someone who had commented on my tweet.”

Indeed, after his initial post, Mr. Roberts posted a more nuanced explanation of the “underlying means” the jurors could consider, referring to it as “a smorgasbord they can pick from.” On Thursday, however, he also quoted a conservative legal analyst who he said called it “the ‘most troubling’ aspect of the instructions.”

There were some troubling reactions to Mr. Roberts’s initial post, according to NBC News , which reported that it had prompted users on Gab, a site popular with right-wing extremists, to make veiled threats against Justice Merchan. One such post read: “I hear bad stuff happens to judges in their driveways.” Other online threats were also reported.

The jury in Mr. Trump’s trial deliberated for a second day on Thursday, and he faces prison or probation if convicted. He has repeatedly attacked the case, calling it a politically motivated “witch hunt” that was orchestrated by the Manhattan district attorney who brought it, Alvin L. Bragg. Justice Merchan, who has also been a constant target of Mr. Trump, has had round-the-clock security assigned to protect him as the jury deliberates.

The former president has also spread other misinformation related to the trial, and has repeated the false claim that the trial was arranged by President Biden. Mr. Trump’s attacks on the judge’s daughter — a political consultant who has worked with prominent Democrats — prompted Justice Merchan to issue an expanded gag order before the trial began, barring Mr. Trump from attacking members of his family. It also protects witnesses, court staff and jurors.

Nevertheless, the former president both railed against the gag order and violated it repeatedly, leading Justice Merchan to fine him $10,000 and threaten jail time.

On Thursday, Mr. Trump continued his criticisms of the jury instructions, writing on Truth Social that they were “UNFAIR, MISLEADING, INACCURATE, AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

“They were also VERY CONFUSING (Just what the Judge wanted!),” the former president wrote, “BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CRIME!”

Jesse McKinley is a Times reporter covering upstate New York, courts and politics. More about Jesse McKinley