# contrast

/ˈkɑntɹæst/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/contrast
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a difference between things

noun · CEFR B1

a clear and obvious difference between two people, things, or ideas.

For teachers: the state of being strikingly different from something else in juxtaposition or association.

- The contrast between the busy city and the quiet countryside is amazing.
- The stark contrast between the candidate's optimistic rhetoric and the country's grim economic reality was not lost on the voters.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'between' or 'to'.

### 2. visual brightness

noun · CEFR B1

the difference between the light and dark parts of a picture or screen.

For teachers: the scale of difference between the darkest and lightest tones in an image or the degree of color differentiation.

- I adjusted the contrast on my monitor because the image looked too grey.
- The photographer increased the contrast during post-processing to make the architectural details stand out against the sky.

### 3. medical imaging

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a substance used in medical scans to make parts of the body show up clearly.

For teachers: a substance, such as iodine or barium, swallowed or injected to increase the visibility of internal structures in medical imaging.

- The doctor injected a contrast dye before the CT scan to see my veins better.
- The radiologist noted that the patient had a mild allergic reaction to the contrast used during the previous angiogram.

Usage: Often used as an uncountable noun in clinical settings.

### 4. to compare differences

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to look at two things to show how they are different.

For teachers: to compare two or more things in order to emphasize their differences.

- In your essay, you should contrast the two main characters in the book.
- The study contrasts the educational outcomes of urban students with those of their rural counterparts over a ten-year period.

Usage: As a transitive verb, it takes a direct object; as an intransitive verb, it often pairs with 'with'.

### 5. to be different

verb · CEFR B2

to look or be very different from something else nearby.

For teachers: to exhibit a striking difference when placed in proximity to something else.

- Her bright red hair contrasted sharply with her white dress.
- The modern glass skyscraper contrasts uncomfortably with the surrounding eighteenth-century stone cottages.

## Examples

- There is a sharp contrast between the two colors.
- The contrast between the wealthy city center and the poor suburbs is very obvious to visitors.
- The author uses the sharp contrast between the protagonist's humble beginnings and his eventual rise to power to explore themes of social mobility and ambition.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.