The word "contrasted" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a comparison between two or more items, in which their similarities or differences are highlighted. For example: "The contrasting colors in the painting give it a unique, eye-catching effect."
As the Lib Dem leader faces a growing revolt after this week's violent protest against fee rises, internal documents show the party was drawing up proposals for coalition negotiations which contrasted sharply with Clegg's public pronouncements.
Related: The Guardian view on the Queen's speech: it all comes back to Europe | Editorial David Davis, the former shadow home secretary, claimed that the government move contrasted with the approach in the US.
Its stellar quarterly growth figures contrasted sharply with the dire fortunes of high street chain French Connection, which now expects to plunge into the red this year.
Billy McQuiston, who was a senior UDA commander in west Belfast, contrasted the HET's alleged bias against ex-loyalist paramilitaries with the secret scheme to grant 187 IRA members immunity from prosecution – a deal that brought power sharing to the edge of collapse this week.
Root allowed himself to be lulled into periods of stasis, an understandable reaction to the match stretching out before him, and yet also the response of a young man who felt that his natural game may equal irresponsibility (here he can be contrasted with Rogers, a less talented player, but one who has spent years doing the job).
Merkel, whose warm welcome contrasted with the low-key reception for the French president, François Hollande, at last month's Anglo-French summit at RAF Brize Norton, headed after her speech to Downing Street for a brief meeting with Nick Clegg.
That contrasted with just 2% of voters who were black and Latino, with 1% native Americans.
Their view suggests the rising cost of oil could dampen any revival in growth, which contrasted with the optimistic noises coming out of China and the UK yesterday.
She told Judge Jonathan Teale: "Their honourable and decent motives perhaps might be contrasted with what we now know about the long-term deployment of undercover police officers, one of whom acted on the 'extreme boundary of legality', if not decency, if the reports of agitation and so on across Europe are to be believed.
Fallon's declaration that British involvement was expanding beyond a humanitarian mission contrasted with the cautious language of Downing Street last week when officials said that the British mission was limited to providing humanitarian relief for Yazidi refugees besieged on Mount Sinjar.
And Julie Walters, in an interview with the Sunday Times, contrasted her youth with that of aspiring actors today.
