The contrast between the sky and the mountain is striking.
Source: tatoeba (18332)
Contrast
/ˈkɒntɹɑːst/
Synonyms for "contrast" (281 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (57)
allegoryanalogizeanalogyantagonismantepositionantipathyantithesisarc lightingassimilatebad copybad likenessbalancebalancingblack and whitebracketbring into analogybring into comparisonbump headscamouflagechiaroscuro
Show 22 more words
clashingcollatecollisioncomparative anatomycomparative degreecomparative grammarcomparative judgmentcomparative linguisticscomparative literaturecomparative methodcomparecompare and contrastcompare withcomparingcomparisonconflictconfrontconfrontationconfrontmentcontendcontentioncontradiction
Verb(7 words)
Noun(7 words)
Preposition(1 words)
Strong matches (84)
contradistinctioncontraindicationcontraposecontrapositcontrapositioncontrarietycontrastivenesscorrelationcounteractcounterposecounterpositioncross purposescross-purposesdecorative lightingdeparturedeviationdifferencedifferentiatedirect lightingdisaccord
Show 33 more words
disaccordancedisagreementdisconformitydiscongruitydiscordancediscrepancydiscretenessdiscriminatedisguisedisparitydissemblancedissentdissimilaritydissimilationdissimilitudedissonancedistinctiondistinctivenessdistinctnessdistinguishdivergencedivergencydiversitydraw a comparisondraw a parallelelectric lightingenlightenmentfacefar cryfestoon lightingfloodlightingfluorescent lightingfront
Noun(24 words)
contrast testdemarcationdichotomiesdiffdifferdiffer fromdiffer greatlydifferencedifference indifferencesdifferentiatedifferentiationdifferingdiffingdiffsdirect contrastdiscerndissimilaritydistinct fromdistinction
Show 4 more words
Verb(6 words)
Adjective(1 words)
dual method trial
Related words (140)
gaslightingglow lightingheterogeneityhighlighthighlightshostilityilluminationinaccordanceincandescent lightingincommensurabilityincomparabilityincompatibilityincongruityinconsistencyinconsonanceindirect lightinginequalityinharmoniousnessinharmonyinimicalness
Show 87 more words
irradiationirreconcilabilityjuxtaposelie oppositelight and shadelightinglikenliken tolikeningmakeupmatchmatchingmeasuremeasure againstmeet head onmeet head-onmere caricaturemetaphormetaphorizemixturenonconformitynonuniformityoddsopposeopposingoppositeoppositenessoppositionopposureoppugnanceoppugnancyothernessoverhead lightingparallelparallelismperversitypit againstplace againstpolar oppositionpolaritypolarizationpolarizepoor imitationpose againstposing againstproportionput in oppositionradiationrelaterelationreliefrepugnancerun a comparisonseparatenessset againstset in contrastset in oppositionset offset off againstset over againstshowshowdownsimilesimilitudesimilizespot lightingstage lightingstand opposedstand oppositestrip lightingsubtendtonalitytrope of comparisonunconformityunlikenessunorthodoxyunresemblanceunsamenessunsimilarityvariancevariationvariegationvarietyview togetherweighweigh againstweighing
Verb(5 words)
Noun(20 words)
juxtaposingjuxtapositionjuxtapositionslinemarkedly differentnumber comparison tasksoppositeparagonspharaoh reign chartpolaritiesraise counterpointredlinesignify a differencespanish confrontarstudy methodsurvey history textbookvariancevaryweydenxyy
Adjective(7 words)
measured performanceopposing forces frameworkseparate unitunregulated financeurban policy studiesvariegatedvisual clarity
Adverb(1 words)
more industrial revolution
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: allegory, analogize, analogy, analyze graphs, ancient civilization study.
- Sentence evidence is available for contrast, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "contrast".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "contrast"
Keep "contrast" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "contrast" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "contrast", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "contrast" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
31 entriesShowing 16 of 31 words.
More specific
11 entriesbrightness contrastcolor contrastdifferentiatediscriminatedistinguishhistorical contrastideological contrasttextural contrasttonal contrasttone contrastvisual contrast
Collocations
8 entriescolor contrastcontrast ratiocontrasting colorsgreat contrasthigh contrastsharp contraststrong contrastvisual contrast
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
21 translations across 20 languages.
Azerbaijani
2 entries- kontrast noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
- təzad noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Bulgarian
1 entries- контраст noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Catalan
1 entries- contrast noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 对比度 noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Esperanto
1 entries- kontrasto noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Finnish
1 entries- kontrasti noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Galician
1 entries- contraste noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Georgian
1 entries- კონტრასტი noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
German
1 entries- Kontrast noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Italian
1 entries- contrasto noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Māori
1 entries- pūrata noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- kontrast noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Norwegian Nynorsk
1 entries- kontrast noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Persian
1 entries- کنتراست noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Polish
1 entries- kontrast noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Portuguese
1 entries- contraste noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Romanian
1 entries- contrast noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Russian
1 entries- контра́ст noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Spanish
1 entries- contraste noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Swedish
1 entries- kontrast noun (difference that makes colours more or less distinguishable)
Sample sentences
19 total sentences available.
As far as Bob is concerned, anything goes. By contrast, Jane is very cautious.
Source: tatoeba (33245)
The dress has a beautiful contrast between red and white.
Source: tatoeba (43513)
The contrast between the two ideas is very marked.
Source: tatoeba (44643)
Showing 4 of 19 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "contrast"?
Closest matches include allegory, analogize, analogy, analyze graphs, ancient civilization study.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "contrast"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.