antithetical

adjective

an·​ti·​thet·​i·​cal ˌan-tə-ˈthe-ti-kəl 

variants or less commonly antithetic

ˌan-tə-ˈthe-tik 

1

: being in direct and unequivocal opposition : directly opposite or opposed

… some see the idea of a museum for rock & roll as antithetical to the music's rebellious ethic …

—Al Weisel

2

: constituting or marked by antithesis

antithetical conflict

antithetically

ˌan-tə-ˈthe-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Did you know?

Antithetical and antithesis come from the Greek verb antitithenai, meaning "to oppose." The oldest sense of antithesis refers to a language pattern that contrasts parallel ideas, as in "action, not words" or "they promised plenty and delivered scarcity," and antithetical originally referred to anything that was marked by such antithesis. For example, you could say that the phrase 'action, not words' is an antithetical construction. It is more common, however, for antithesis to mean "the exact opposite" and for antithetical to mean "directly opposite," as in "an idea antithetical to our stated goals."

Synonyms

• contradictory
• contrary
• opposite

Choose the Right Synonym for antithetical

opposite, contradictory, contrary, antithetical mean being so far apart as to be or seem irreconcilable.

opposite applies to things in sharp contrast or in conflict.

opposite views on foreign aid

contradictory applies to two things that completely negate each other so that if one is true or valid the other must be untrue or invalid.

made contradictory predictions about whether the market would rise or fall

contrary implies extreme divergence or diametrical opposition.

contrary assessments of the war situation

antithetical stresses clear and unequivocal diametrical opposition.

a law that is antithetical to the very idea of democracy

Examples of antithetical in a Sentence

the antithetical forces of good and evil

spiritual concerns and ideals that are antithetical to the materialism embraced by modern society

Recent Examples on the Web

That sort of corrections system is antithetical to privatized prisons focused on profits, Alexander said. —Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025

The core group who ran the country in the last two years may have been as antithetical to the positives of business as any that our history has recorded, maybe even in the first years of Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, maybe worse. —Jim Cramer, CNBC, 30 June 2025

Being that Hot Ones is designed to celebrate, not interrogate, political guests would put Evans in a position antithetical to his preference for affable invisibility. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 27 May 2025

This campaign is completely antithetical to the phrase’s original intent. —Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

see antithesis

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for antithetical

• alphabetical
• arithmetical
• catechetical
• exegetical
• homiletical
• hypothetical
• parenthetical
• theoretical
• aesthetical
• genetical
• heretical
• magnetical

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