How to Use contrast in a Sentence

contrast

1 of 2 verb
  • Her black dress and the white background contrast sharply.
  • We compared and contrasted the two characters of the story.
  • Mossy greens sharply contrast against the warm browns of tree trunks and dirt.
    — Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Jan. 2024
  • Their garb contrasts sharply with the plain black-and-white clothes worn by the maid.
    — Judith H. Dobrzynski, WSJ, 24 Jan. 2020
  • It’s meant to contrast with the walls designed to repel refugees.
    — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
  • Crisp whites contrast with inky blacks and are united by a deep midnight blue tone.
    — Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 29 July 2022
  • The bright-blue sky contrasted with the warm reds and golds across the tundra.
    — Alli Harvey, Alaska Dispatch News, 6 Oct. 2017
  • The contrasting strength of the two benches was stark.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The contrasting textures will make your space feel more homey.
    — Savanna Bous, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The sharp bite of crisp white onion contrasts nicely with sweet, fresh tomatoes.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Thimphu contrasts sharply with most cities throughout the world.
    — Antonia Neubauer, Town & Country, 5 Oct. 2016
  • This contrasts with the soft, flowing warmth of the red coral dome and the ripples of gold.
    — Rosie Jarman, ELLE, 7 Apr. 2023
  • These brief contrasts can prime the body and mind so the main effort feels less like a threat and more like progress.
    — Dayanne S. Antonio, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Lately she's been using dark trim to contrast with light walls, or greige trim to make white walls pop.
    — Jessica Leigh Mattern, Country Living, 6 Mar. 2018
  • The month also brought sharp weather contrasts.
    — Ricardo B. Brazziell, Austin American Statesman, 1 Feb. 2026
  • So here are some other wool coats with contrasting details that are kind of like it!
    — Rachel Torgerson, Cosmopolitan, 8 Mar. 2018
  • My goal was not to compare, contrast or rank soccer between boys and girls.
    — Nik Streng, oregonlive, 27 Sep. 2022
  • That would be important goals to be able to do those things each in contrasting ways.
    — CBS News, 29 Mar. 2023
  • George contrasted his wife in a dark suit with a black undershirt and shiny loafers.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 28 July 2023
  • While a graphic T-shirt is fun, any contrasting tee will do.
    — Kelsey Stiegman, Glamour, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Serve this dessert with cups of espresso or strong coffee to contrast its richness.
    — Wini Moranville, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 May 2024
  • The style featured a thin contrasting trim along the upper as well.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Foliage is held on vibrant red stems that contrast with the foliage.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2026
  • The crushed green olives should be big and fleshy, like a chunky relish to contrast the icy bite of the fennel.
    — Ben Mimscooking Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2022
  • The bold two-tone bracelet and contrasting black face make this a standout option.
    — John Monaco, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Style your front door color with contrasting hardware for a bold look.
    — Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Look for quilts and throw pillows in contrasting patterns and hues.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 25 May 2026
  • During the day, the anthracite turns them a dark gray to contrast against the noir backdrop.
    — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2021
  • Cherry is mild with hints of contrasting sweet and tart flavors.
    — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Wind and rain contrasted by sunshine and snowflakes all in the same day have become a new norm.
    — Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026

contrast

2 of 2 noun
  • The queen's wit and humor made the prince seem dull by contrast.
  • Careful contrast of the twins shows some differences.
  • In contrast to last year's profits, the company is not doing very well.
  • I observed an interesting contrast in the teaching styles of the two women.
  • They spent millions of dollars on advertising. By way of contrast, our small company spent under 5,000 dollars.
  • And this contrast of types, too.
    — Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 3 June 2026
  • But what a contrast in the way the teams got things done with the run.
    — Kirk Kenney, sandiegouniontribune.com, 24 Dec. 2017
  • The ad lands by letting the contrast do the work.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
  • The Globes’ top prizes drew a sharp but telling contrast.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 12 Jan. 2026
  • In contrast, Ruben is dressed head-to-toe in black.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 9 June 2026
  • Flesh, by contrast, feels closer to me as an idea.
    — Li Qi, Artforum, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The contrast in styles goes beyond the court.
    — The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
  • His voice lived in contrast to his body, small and plaintive.
    — Lena Dunham, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2019
  • The streets are a parade of contrast.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
  • The crunchy first bite is a nice contrast to the creamy filling.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
  • White and creamy accents add contrast.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 4 May 2026
  • Feta cheese adds a creamy contrast.
    — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Yet, in contrast to the first days of the war, the city is humming with life.
    — Marc Santora, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Mar. 2022
  • The contrast stripes running down the sides of the legs add a fun, sporty touch.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Increase the contrast a bit to keep the final look deep and dark.
    — Dulce Moncada, Glamour, 28 Dec. 2023
  • And crisp whites provided a contrast with a slate of dark films.
    — Washington Post, 25 Apr. 2021
  • The women play in contrast to each other, but all in great taste.
    — Sara Rodrigues, House Beautiful, 16 Apr. 2019
  • The 20-plan by contrast is about ending a war.
    — Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
  • And the two have made that contrast clear with their public back-and-forth over the years.
    — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • In contrast, silver bars are a better bang for your buck.
    — Amy Deyoung, USA Today, 4 May 2026
  • Top a pink nail with a blue-toned chrome to introduce a bit of contrast.
    — Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 4 Apr. 2026
  • By contrast, Uruguay was ranked 16th.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 16 June 2026
  • Sotomayor, in contrast, does not miss a chance to send up a flare.
    — Ariane De Vogue, CNN, 22 Oct. 2021
  • Those images are in direct contrast to the words that tell you about the risks.
    — Neil Senturia, sandiegouniontribune.com, 9 July 2018
  • The state of the economy, by contrast, is right out there in the open.
    — Arkansas Online, 26 June 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contrast.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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