What is Antithesis? - www.wordscoach.com

Antithesis: Meaning, Definition and Examples

What Is Antithesis?

Antithesis is a figure of speech in which contrasting ideas or words are placed in close proximity to one another to create a balanced effect. It is often used to highlight the contrast between two ideas or to create a sense of tension. Examples of antithesis include phrases such as “love and hate,” “black and white,” and “rich and poor.” In literature, antithesis is often used to create a sense of tension or conflict, and to demonstrate the complexity of characters or themes.

What Differentiates an Antithesis from an Oxymoron?

AntithesisOxymoron
Antithesis is a figure of speech that places two completely contrasting ideas or clauses in juxtaposition.An oxymoron is a figure of speech that contains two opposing or contrasting words placed adjacent to each other within a phrase to produce an effect.
For example: Art is long, and Time is fleeting.For example: Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate!

Examples of Antithesis

Some examples of antithesis include:

  • To be or not to be, that is the question. (Hamlet, by William Shakespeare)
  • Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. (John F. Kennedy)
  • I must be cruel, only to be kind. (Hamlet, by William Shakespeare)
  • Man proposes, God disposes.
  • It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. (A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens)
  • I burn, I pine, I perish.
  • Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.
  • I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.


What is Antithesis? - www.wordscoach.com

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