To contrast means to compare two or more things by highlighting their differences. When you contrast summer and winter, you might point out that summer is hot while winter is cold, or that summer has long days while winter has short ones. A teacher might ask you to contrast two characters in a story to help you see how different they are in personality, motivation, or behavior.

The word can also describe things that are strikingly different when placed together. A white fence provides strong contrast against a dark brick wall. In photography, contrast refers to the difference between light and dark areas: a high-contrast photo has bright whites and deep blacks, while a low-contrast photo looks more gray and subtle.

Contrast works as both a verb and a noun. You can contrast two ideas (verb), or you can notice the contrast between them (noun).

The opposite of contrast is similarity. When studying history, you might compare and contrast two civilizations, looking at both their similarities and differences to understand each one better.