juxtapose

juxtapose

From Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day by Merriam-Webster

April 25, 2026 · 2 min

About this episode

This episode explores the word 'juxtapose' and its usage in art and language.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 25, 2026 is: juxtapose • \JUK-stuh-pohz\  • verb To juxtapose things is to place them together in order to create an interesting effect or to show how they are the same or different. // The local museum’s new exhibit juxtaposes modern art with classical art. See the entry > Examples: “... on ‘Murder Most Foul’ [Bob] Dylan thwarts readymade nostalgia, an easy revisiting of the storybook sixties and his golden ‘spokesman’ moment. Instead, mixing and juxtaposing voices, lingos, and tones, he traces the decline of America over the trajectory of his own lifetime ...” — Robert Polito, After the Flood: Inside Bob Dylan’s Memory Palace , 2026 Did you know? Although it doesn’t feature the word juxtapose , a classic segment from a 1969 episode of Sesame Street perfectly illustrates the essence of the verb. In it, the character Bob (as played by actor Bob McGrath) sings the catchy song “One of These Things (Is Not Like the Others)” in front of a display that juxtaposes—that is, places near one another for comparison—four items: an apple, an ice cream cone, a hamburger, and a mitten. The song asks its audience to consider their…

Topics covered

  • juxtaposition
  • art comparison
  • language
  • word of the day
  • cultural references

Keywords

  • juxtapose
  • art
  • language
  • comparison
  • word of the day
  • Bob Dylan
  • Sesame Street

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Sesame Street

Books & works: Murder Most Foul, After the Flood: Inside Bob Dylan’s Memory Palace

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