contrast

Pronunciation

noun

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ˈkɒntrɑːst/
• (US) enPR: kŏn'trăst, IPA ^(key): /ˈkɑnt(ʃ)ræst/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

verb

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /kənˈtrɑːst/
• (US) enPR: kəntrăst' or kŏn'trăst, IPA ^(key): /kənˈt(ʃ)ræst/ or /ˈkɑnt(ʃ)ræst/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

Noun

Singular contrast

Plural contrasts

1. (countable & uncountable) Contrasts are the differences you find when you compare something or someone.

   When comparing English and Japanese, there are many contrasts but also a large number of similarities.

   Married life is a sharp contrast to the life of a single person.

Related words

• in contrast

Verb

Plain form contrast

Third-person singular contrasts

Past tense contrasted

Past participle contrasted

Present participle contrasting

1. (transitive) If you contrast two things, you look for or explain the differences between them.

   It's difficult not to contrast the good things he says with the terrible way he acts.