[Learning English Daily] - Lesson: "polar opposites"

Posted by Unknown On 11/10/12

Quote

“Dax and I are polar opposites.”
- Actress Kristen Bell talking about her fiance, Dax Shepard. (Us Weekly)

Meaning

complete opposites, total opposites

Use

No two points on Earth could be further apart than its two poles, the North Pole and the South Pole. These are the northernmost and southernmost points on the globe. They lie in perfectly opposite positions from each other.
That is why when we say two things are polar opposites, we mean that they are nothing alike. They couldn’t be more different, or further apart from each other. They are exact opposites in every way.
So it might be surprising to hear the actress Kristen Bell say that her fiance is her polar opposite. Aren’t people in a relationship supposed to have things in common?
Often people who fall in love share a lot of the same personality traits and interests. But it is also said that opposites attract. This means that sometimes, people are attracted to what is different from them. Shy people like outgoing people. People who party all the time like quiet types who stay at home. Risk-takers like more cautious people. Two polar opposites sometimes make a perfect pair.
Who in your life is your polar opposite? Do you usually get along with people who are your polar opposite, or do you prefer to hang out with people who are similar to you? What kind of person would be your polar opposite?

Examples

“My mom and I are very similar, but my dad is my polar opposite.”
“Even though they are twins, in many ways they are polar opposites.”
“My sister and I are nothing alike. We are polar opposites.”