I. con ‧ trast 1 W2 AC /ˈkɒntrɑːst $ ˈkɑːntræst/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: verb : ↑ contrast ; noun : ↑ contrast ; adjective : ↑ contrasting ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] a difference between people, ideas, situations, things etc that are being compared:
While there are similarities in the two cultures, there are also great contrasts.
contrast between
the economic and social contrasts between the poor and the rich
contrast with
The marble is smooth and polished, making a strong contrast with the worn stonework around it.
by contrast (to/with)
The birth rate for older women has declined, but, by contrast, births to teenage mothers have increased.
in contrast (to/with)
The stock lost 60 cents a share, in contrast to last year, when it gained 21 cents.
(in) stark/marked/sharp etc contrast to something
The winter heat wave in California is a stark contrast to the below-freezing temperatures on the East Coast.
The spirited mood on Friday was in sharp contrast to the tense atmosphere last week.
The approach to learning at this school stands in marked contrast to the traditional methods used at other schools nearby.
2 . [countable] something that is very different from something else:
The sauce is quite sweet, so add dried thyme as a contrast.
contrast to
The red stems of this bush provide a contrast to the drab brown of the winter garden.
3 . [uncountable] the degree of difference between the light and dark parts of a television picture, ↑ X-ray , ↑ photocopy etc:
This button adjusts the contrast.
4 . [uncountable] the differences in colour, or between light and dark, that an artist uses in paintings or photographs to make a particular effect:
The artist has used contrast marvelously in his paintings.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a complete/total contrast
A complete contrast in building style can be seen in Commercial Road.
▪ a sharp/stark/strong contrast (=very great)
There is a sharp contrast between the type of people who read the two newspapers.
▪ a marked/striking contrast (=very noticeable)
I noticed a marked contrast in his behaviour before and after treatment.
▪ a startling contrast (=very noticeable and surprising)
The big modern factories make a startling contrast to the opposite side of the road.
▪ a dramatic contrast (=great and surprising)
Alaska is a land of dramatic contrast.
▪ an interesting contrast
the interesting contrast between his early and later paintings
▪ a clear/obvious contrast
There was a clear contrast between the father and the son.
■ verbs
▪ make a contrast
The fruit and the meat make a delicious contrast of flavours.
▪ draw a contrast (=say there is a contrast)
It is tempting to draw sharp contrasts between religion and science.
▪ provide/offer contrast
The plant is very attractive, and provides excellent contrast to other plants.
▪ highlight a contrast (=make a contrast very obvious)
The research will highlight the contrasts between different approaches to taxation.
▪ stand in sharp/stark etc contrast to something
The mountains stand in stark contrast to the area around them.
■ phrases
▪ in direct contrast to something/somebody (=completely different to something or someone)
She’s fun and warm and amusing – in direct contrast to James.
▪ in sharp/stark etc contrast
We are still getting some sun, in marked contrast to last year’s everlasting grey skies.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ difference a detail, fact, or quality that makes one person or thing different from another:
We should think about the similarities between cultures, not the differences.
| difference between :
Try and spot the differences between these two pictures.
|
The difference between the two cheeses is that one is made from goat’s milk.
| difference in :
I don’t think there’s any difference in the way you pronounce these two words.
| know the difference :
He’s speaking Italian, not Spanish. Don’t you know the difference?
▪ contrast a very clear difference that you can easily see when you compare two things or people: contrast between something/somebody and something/somebody :
What surprised me was the contrast between Picasso’s early style and his later work.
▪ gap a big difference between two amounts, two ages, or two groups of people: gap between :
There’s a ten-year gap between Kay’s two children.
|
The gap between rich and poor is wider in the South than in the rest of the country.
| age/gender/income etc gap :
The age gap between us didn’t seem to matter until we decided to have children.
▪ gulf a very big difference and lack of understanding between two groups of people, especially in their beliefs, opinions, and way of life: gulf between somebody and somebody :
More riots led to a growing gulf between the police and the communities in which they worked.
| bridge/cross the gulf (=improve understanding and communication) :
The central problem was how to bridge the gulf between the warring factions of the party.
▪ disparity formal a big difference between two groups of people or things – use this especially when you think the difference is unfair or may cause problems: disparity between :
It is not easy to explain the disparity that still exists between the salaries of men and women.
| disparity in :
the disparity in wealth between the highest and the lowest employees
| the economic/income etc disparity :
The economic disparity between the area’s black and white citizens is a serious problem.
II. con ‧ trast 2 AC /kənˈtrɑːst $ -ˈtræst/ BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: verb : ↑ contrast ; noun : ↑ contrast ; adjective : ↑ contrasting ]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: French ; Origin: contraster , from Italian contrastare 'to stand out against, fight against' , from Latin contra- ( ⇨ ↑ contra- ) + stare 'to stand' ]
1 . [intransitive] if two things contrast, the difference between them is very easy to see and is sometimes surprising
contrast with
The snow was icy and white, contrasting with the brilliant blue sky.
contrast sharply/strikingly with something (=be extremely different from something)
These results contrast sharply with other medical tests carried out in Australia.
2 . [transitive] to compare two things, ideas, people etc to show how different they are from each other
contrast something with something
In another passage, Melville again contrasts the land with the sea.
an essay comparing and contrasting (=showing how two things are similar and different) Verdi and Wagner and their operas
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ compare to consider two or more things or people, in order to show how they are similar or different:
Scientists compared the results of both experiments.
|
The woman’s body was identified by comparing her teeth with dental records.
▪ make/draw a comparison to compare two or more things or people and say how they are similar:
In her article, she makes a comparison between people’s lives now and 50 years ago.
|
It is possible to draw a comparison between the two poets’ work.
▪ draw an analogy to say that two situations are similar – a rather formal use:
Some people have attempted to draw an analogy between America’s invasion of Iraq and the war in Vietnam.
▪ draw a parallel to say that some features of things are similar, especially things that are actually very different – a rather formal use:
He draws a parallel between football and religion.
|
Parallels can be drawn between her work and that of Picasso.
▪ contrast verb [transitive] to compare two things, situations etc, in order to show how they are different from each other:
In her novel she contrasts the lives of two families in very different circumstances.
▪ make/draw a distinction between to say that you think two things are very different:
The author draws a distinction between allowing death to occur, and causing it.
|
It is important to make a distinction between people’s fears about crime and the amount of crime that really happens.
▪ measure somebody/something against somebody/something to compare two people or things, in order to judge which is better, bigger, etc:
As a young actress, she was nervous of being measured against her famous father.
|
Murray’s progress is often measured against that of Nadal.