an·tip·o·dal
an-ˈti-pə-dᵊl 
1
: of or relating to the antipodes
specifically
: situated at the opposite side of the earth or moon
an antipodal meridian
an antipodal continent
2
: diametrically opposite
an antipodal point on a sphere
3
: entirely opposed
a system antipodal to democracy
: any of three haploid cells in most angiosperms that are grouped at the end of the embryo sac farthest from the micropyle
called also antipodal cell
Examples of antipodal in a Sentence
Adjective
love is antipodal to hate
Recent Examples on the Web
Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 11 Sep. 2025
The requirements call for at least 18,000 miles of bicycling and for riders to cross two antipodal points — in Wilcox's case, Madrid, Spain, and Wellington, New Zealand.
—Scott Detrow, NPR, 18 Sep. 2024
But the realities of the stage did not match the ideals of his imagination until his encounter with the work of the man who, by any other standards, would have seemed his antipodal foil.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023
These two antipodal scenarios hold distinct implications for where Io’s volcanism ultimately emerges on the moon’s surface.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Nov. 2023
Morris intervenes both too little and too much, but the movie somehow still hits a sweet spot in the happy medium of those antipodal failings.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2023
That leaves us with just the upper semicircle and two antipodal points — one at each end of the semicircle.
—Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 24 Jan. 2023
There’s a South Dip Pole, too, but the North Dip Pole doesn’t have to be antipodal, or diametrically opposed, to it.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 20 Dec. 2022
As a leader, Hankin was antipodal to Schulman in almost every respect.
—Ariel Bleicher, IEEE Spectrum, 20 Mar. 2013
Robert Ross, Robb Report, 13 Feb. 2024
In addition to flying high and fast, an antipodal bomber was maneuverable.
—David Axe, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2021
For The New Yorker, journalist Brooke Jarvis spends time in Tasmania, examining the debate about whether this uniquely antipodal carnivore is extinct or alive, eking out its existence while avoiding scientific efforts to document it.
—Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, 28 June 2018
And there are no direct commercial flights between antipodal locations.
—Don Sweeney, sacbee, 7 Aug. 2017
Mike Rampino was one of the first to propose antipodal focusing of seismic energy from massive bolide impacts as a trigger for giant basaltic eruptions.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 26 July 2011
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Adjective
These aren’t the only reasons Americans have renewed excitement about this antipodal safe haven.
—Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 11 Sep. 2025
The requirements call for at least 18,000 miles of bicycling and for riders to cross two antipodal points — in Wilcox's case, Madrid, Spain, and Wellington, New Zealand.
—Scott Detrow, NPR, 18 Sep. 2024
But the realities of the stage did not match the ideals of his imagination until his encounter with the work of the man who, by any other standards, would have seemed his antipodal foil.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023
These two antipodal scenarios hold distinct implications for where Io’s volcanism ultimately emerges on the moon’s surface.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Nov. 2023
Morris intervenes both too little and too much, but the movie somehow still hits a sweet spot in the happy medium of those antipodal failings.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2023
That leaves us with just the upper semicircle and two antipodal points — one at each end of the semicircle.
—Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 24 Jan. 2023
There’s a South Dip Pole, too, but the North Dip Pole doesn’t have to be antipodal, or diametrically opposed, to it.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 20 Dec. 2022
As a leader, Hankin was antipodal to Schulman in almost every respect.
—Ariel Bleicher, IEEE Spectrum, 20 Mar. 2013
Noun
Every one of our 10 Car of the Year contenders for 2024—put through the paces in California and Florida—is a true high-performance vehicle and a luxury vehicle, each ladling on varying ratios of these antipodal and once mutually exclusive attributes.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 13 Feb. 2024
In addition to flying high and fast, an antipodal bomber was maneuverable.
—David Axe, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2021
For The New Yorker, journalist Brooke Jarvis spends time in Tasmania, examining the debate about whether this uniquely antipodal carnivore is extinct or alive, eking out its existence while avoiding scientific efforts to document it.
—Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, 28 June 2018
And there are no direct commercial flights between antipodal locations.
—Don Sweeney, sacbee, 7 Aug. 2017
Mike Rampino was one of the first to propose antipodal focusing of seismic energy from massive bolide impacts as a trigger for giant basaltic eruptions.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 26 July 2011
Cite this Entry
“Antipodal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antipodal. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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