An antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word. For example, hot and cold are antonyms, as are good and bad. Antonyms can be all kinds of words: verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs and even prepositions.
Knowing how to use antonyms can improve your writing and English skills, use examples of antonyms to help you choose the most appropriate word every time.
What is an antonym?
An antonym is a word that has the exact opposite meaning of another. Common antonyms are often adjectives and adverbs that have a word that they directly oppose.
There are many common antonyms that we use daily. A few good examples of antonyms include “good,” which is an antonym for “bad,” and “long,” which is an antonym for “short.”
For example, the antonym of the day is “night” and an antonym of “on” is “off”. The term ‘antonym’ comes from ‘antonymy’, the technical grammar term for words with contradictory meanings – but you can think of antonyms as opposites.
Often most words have more than one antonym depending on the context. For example, the word “warm” might have the antonym “chill” or “cool.” Therefore, it is important to choose the right one.
To do this, you need to analyze in detail all the meanings to learn the appropriate use of antonyms in the English language. Cold is used to define both style and relaxation, so the word cool might not be a good choice.
Synonyms and antonyms
Antonyms are closely related to synonyms, which are words with the same meaning. While antonyms have opposite meanings, synonyms have the same meaning.
Let’s look at the example word “big”. The antonym of big is small. That’s because big and small are opposites; The synonym for big is large because big and large mean the same thing.
Don’t think about it too much, but the words “synonym” and “antonym” are actually antonyms!
To learn how to use antonyms correctly, you must have a proper understanding of their types, which are mentioned as follows:
Types of Antonyms
Because the English language is so complex, people may disagree on which words really have opposite meanings. However, there are three main types of antonyms:
- Relational Antonyms,
- Graded Antonyms, And
- Complementary Antonyms.
Examples of Complementary Antonyms
A complementary antonym, sometimes called a binary or contradictory antonym, is one of a pair of words with opposite meanings where the two meanings are not on a continuous spectrum.
There is no continuous spectrum between odd and even numbers, however, they have opposite meanings and are therefore complementary antonyms.
Examples of complementary antonyms include:
- Day – Night
- On – Off
- Up – Down
- Male – Female
- Dead – Alive
- Mortal – Immortal
- Exit – Entrance
- Exhale – Inhale
- True — False
- Push — Pull
- Pass — Fail
Relational Antonyms Examples
A relational antonym is a pair of words that refer to a relationship from opposite points of view. One word can’t exist without the other such as there can’t be a child without a parent or it’s either all or nothing. Relational Antonyms wouldn’t exist without the other.
Other examples of relational antonyms include:
- Front – Back
- Uncle – Aunt
- Hello – Goodbye
- Husband – Wife
- Doctor – Patient
- Predator – Prey
- Teach – Learn.
- Servant – Master
- Come – Go.
- Parent – Child
- Buy — Sell
Examples of Graded Antonyms
A Graded antonym belongs to a pair of words with opposite meanings, where the two meanings are on a continuous spectrum. Temperature is such a continuous spectrum that hot and cold, two meanings on opposite ends of the spectrum, are graded antonyms.
Many are relative terms that can be interpreted differently by different people. For example, “sad” and “happy” are relative antonyms, since someone can be fairly sad or fairly happy, or slightly sad and slightly happy.
Examples of graded antonyms include:
- Healthy – Sick
- Smart – Stupid
- Heavy – Light
- Fat – Skinny
- Dark – Light
- Young – Old
- Early – Late
- Empty – Full
- Dull – Interesting
- Young — Elderly
- Hard — Easy
- Warm — Cool
- Early — Late
- Fast — Slow
Examples of Antonyms Created with Prefixes
In English, antonyms are often used with prefixes, small syllables of around one to three letters that are added to the beginning of words to change their meaning. There are a few prefixes that reverse the meaning of a word, turning it into its opposite – perfect for antonyms!
Be careful when using prefixes: not every word can take a prefix, so you can’t add it anywhere. All you have to do is familiarize yourself with the common prefixes in English until you’ve memorized the right terms. Also, pay attention to spelling, as sometimes a letter is doubled to make it easier to pronounce.
Here are some common prefixes used with antonym pairs along with their examples. Each of these prefixes essentially changes the meaning of a word to its opposite.
Adding Dis-
Some examples of antonyms formed by adding the prefix dis- (“away from”) are:
- Appear – Disappear
- Connect – Disconnect
- Engage – Disengage
- Like – Dislike
- Agree – Disagree
- Organize – Disorganize
- Arm – Disarm
- Respect – Disrespect
- Believe – Disbelieve
- Honor – Dishonor
Adding In-
Here are some examples of antonyms formed by adding the prefix “in-” to words:
- Moral – Immoral
- Sensitive – Insensitive
- Complete – Incomplete
- Accurate – Inaccurate
- Capable – Incapable
- Visible – Invisible
- Active – Inactive
- Direct – Indirect
- Efficient – Inefficient
- Sincere – Insincere
Adding Mis-
The use of the prefix mis- (meaning “wrong”) gives rise to antonyms such as:
- Understand – Misunderstand
- Behave – Misbehave
- Spell – Misspell
- Interpret – Misinterpret
- Place – Misplace
- Handle – Mishandle
- Calculate – Miscalculate.
- Lead – Mislead
- Judge – Misjudge
Adding mal-
- Function — Malfunction
- Nutrition — Malnutrition
- Adaptive — Maladaptive
Adding Un-
Examples of antonyms made by adding the prefix un-, which means “not,” are:
- Important — Unimportant
- Necessary — Unnecessary
- Certain – Uncertain
- Clear – Unclear
- Able – Unable
- Known – Unknown
- Conscious – Unconscious
- Steady – Unsteady
- Stable – Unstable
- Healthy – Unhealthy
- Realistic – Unrealistic
- Interested – Uninterested
- Successful – Unsuccessful
- Reliable – Unreliable
Adding Non-
By adding the prefix non- (“without” or “other than”) you can form these antonyms:
- Believer — Nonbeliever
- Binary — Nonbinary
- Linear — Nonlinear
- Existing – Nonexistent
- Violent – Nonviolent
- Essential – Nonessential
- Verbal – Nonverbal
- Profit – Nonprofit
- Renewable – Nonrenewable
- Sense – Nonsense
- Functional – Nonfunctional
- Conformist – Nonconformist
Adding i-
Here are some examples of antonyms by adding the prefix “i-” to words:
- Legal – Illegal
- logical — illogical
- Rational – Irrational
- Regular – Irregular
- Responsible – Irresponsible
List Of Antonyms Words
Preceding – Following, Subsequent, Succeeding, Future, Later
Support – Oppose, Hinder, Obstruct, Discourage, Undermine
Precede – Follow, Succeed, Come After, Ensue, Trail
Confident – Unsure, Uncertain, Doubtful, Insecure, Hesitant
Improve – Worsen, Deteriorate, Decline, Regress, Weaken
Improvement – Deterioration, Decline, Setback, Regression, Decline
Improved – Worsened, Deteriorated, Declined, Regressed, Weakened
Predecessor – Successor, Heir, Follower, Descendant, Offspring
Confidence – Doubt, Uncertainty, Insecurity, Hesitation, Self-Doubt
Empathetic – Indifferent, Unsympathetic, Unfeeling, Apathetic, Uncaring
Empathy – Indifference, Apathy, Insensitivity, Callousness, Coldness
Beneficial – Detrimental, Harmful, Disadvantageous, Negative, Unfavorable
Exceed – Fall Short, Lag Behind, Fail, Underperform, Disappoint
Misogynist – Feminist, Egalitarian, Gender-Equal, Pro-Women, Supporter
Short – Tall, Long, Lengthy, Extended, Prolonged
Diverse – Homogeneous, Uniform, Homogeneous, Similar, Alike
Progress – Regress, Regress, Decline, Setback, Retrogression
Misogynistic – Feminist, Egalitarian, Gender-Equal, Pro-Women, Supporter
Genuine – Fake, Counterfeit, Artificial, Insincere, Dishonest
Inhibit – Encourage, Promote, Facilitate, Support, Stimulate
Victim – Aggressor, Culprit, Offender, Perpetrator, Assailant
Humble – Arrogant, Proud, Conceited, Boastful, Haughty
Virtue – Vice, Wickedness, Immorality, Evil, Sin
Sullen – Cheerful, Happy, Bright, Joyful, Content
Peace – Conflict, War, Hostility, Violence, Turmoil
Peaceful – Turbulent, Chaotic, Violent, Agitated, Disturbed
Challenge – Assist, Aid, Help, Support, Facilitate
Prior – Subsequent, Following, Future, Later, Succeeding
Empowered – Disempowered, Weak, Helpless, Submissive, Dependent
Motivation – Demotivation, Apathy, Indifference, Discouragement, Lethargy
Altruistic – Selfish, Self-Centered, Egoistic, Egocentric, Self-Serving
Motivate – Demotivate, Discourage, Dissuade, Deter, Inhibit
Obvious – Obscure, Hidden, Ambiguous, Unclear, Uncertain
Advocate – Oppose, Contradict, Challenge, Dispute, Counter
Victim – Aggressor, Culprit, Offender, Perpetrator, Assailant
Serious – Frivolous, Lighthearted, Casual, Playful, Humorous
Natural – Artificial, Synthetic, Man-Made, Manufactured, Unnatural
Integrity – Dishonesty, Deceit, Corruption, Unscrupulousness, Immorality
Anxious – Calm, Relaxed, Composed, Tranquil, Serene
Subtle – Obvious, Blatant, Overt, Pronounced, Noticeable
Similarly – Differently, Dissimilarly, Distinctly, Uniquely, Individually
Acceptance – Rejection, Denial, Refusal, Disapproval, Dissent
Creativity – Conformity, Conventionality, Banality, Routine, Monotony
Determined – Indecisive, Hesitant, Wavering, Unsure, Vacillating
Passionate – Apathetic, Indifferent, Unenthusiastic, Dispassionate, Cold
Inferiority – Superiority, Excellence, Greatness, Supremacy, Dominance
Resilience – Fragility, Vulnerability, Weakness, Sensitivity, Susceptibility
Compassion – Apathy, Indifference, Callousness, Coldness, Cruelty
Detrimental – Beneficial, Advantageous, Helpful, Advantageous, Favorable
Optimistic – Pessimistic, Gloomy, Cynical, Negative, Doubtful
Trust – Distrust, Suspicion, Skepticism, Doubt, Uncertainty
Benevolent – Malevolent, Malicious, Cruel, Unkind, Maleficent
Cynical – Idealistic, Optimistic, Hopeful, Positive, Trusting.
Trusting – Skeptical, Suspicious, Doubtful, Wary, Untrusting
Procrastination – Action, Productivity, Initiative, Diligence, Promptness
Subordinate – Superior, Boss, Manager, Leader, Authority
Prejudice – Tolerance, Acceptance, Openness, Fairness, Impartiality
Integral – Optional, Unnecessary, Dispensable, Removable, Extraneous
Abstract – Concrete, Specific, Tangible, Definite, Material
Overwhelmed – Underwhelmed, Calm, Composed, Relaxed, Collected.
Permits – Prohibits, Forbids, Prevents, Blocks, Hinders.
Altruistic – Selfish, Self-Centered, Egoistic, Egocentric, Self-Serving
Expanding – Contracting, Shrinking, Reducing, Diminishing, Decreasing
Approbation – Disapproval, Criticism, Censure, Reproach, Condemnation
Success – Failure, Defeat, Loss, Setback, Disappointment
Superior – Inferior, Subordinate, Lesser, Secondary, Lower
Greedy – Generous, Selfless, Unselfish, Charitable, Philanthropic
Obscure – Clear, Obvious, Evident, Apparent, Transparent
Flexible – Rigid, Inflexible, Immovable, Unbending, Stiff
Transparency – Opacity, Opaqueness, Concealment, Secrecy, Hiddenness
Significant – Insignificant, Trivial, Negligible, Minor, Unimportant
Procrastinate – Act, Begin, Start, Initiate, Commence.
Adaptability – Inflexibility, Rigidity, Stubbornness, Resistance, Immobility
Optimism – Pessimism, Negativity, Cynicism, Hopelessness, Despair
Persist – Quit, Give Up, Surrender, Abandon, Yield.
When using antonyms; Always try to keep in mind the context behind the word you want to use antonyms for. Read also: 100 Examples Of Synonyms Words