BharatNotes Juxtaposition
nounUsage in a UPSC answer
The Budget's juxtaposition of soaring defence outlays with shrinking allocations for primary health lays bare the state's true hierarchy of priorities, inviting citizens to question whether security is being purchased at the cost of human development.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
juxtapose (v), juxtaposed (adj), juxtaposing (v pres.p), juxtapositional (adj)
Root
Latin iuxta = beside, very near; ponere = to place; via French juxtaposition, 17th c.
Etymology
From French juxtaposition (17th c.), from Latin iuxta "beside, very near" (ultimately from PIE root *yeug- "to join") + position (from Latin ponere "to place"). First attested in English in the 1660s.
Memory Hook
Break it as "JUXTA" (Latin iuxta = next to / beside) + "POSITION" — literally putting things in a position next to each other. Picture two contrasting photos placed side by side ("juxta-posed") so the difference jumps out.
How This Word Works in UPSC Writing
The placing of two things side by side, usually to bring out a contrast. It is a genuinely useful analytical device in Essay and GS1, because setting two cases beside one another can make a point that describing either alone would not. Note it names the technique of placement, not the contrast itself, so a strong sentence says what the juxtaposition reveals.
Don’t Confuse It With
Juxtaposition is placement side by side for effect. Contrast is the difference that placement reveals. Comparison examines similarities as well as differences. Antithesis is direct opposition, a stronger relationship than mere adjacency.
Hindi Meaning
सन्निधि (sannidhi) or साथ-साथ रखना.
Common Questions
- What is juxtaposition?
- The placing of two things side by side, typically so that a contrast between them becomes apparent.
- Is juxtaposition the same as contrast?
- No. Juxtaposition is the technique of placing things together. Contrast is the difference that placement brings out.
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