Antonym words | 130+ words to boost your vocabulary!

Antonym words | An overview

The 20-volume Oxford Dictionary’s Second Edition has a whopping 171,476 words that are currently in use in the English language. Webster’s Third New International Dictionary includes close to 470,000 entries for new words. These numbers, however, do not accurately cover the expanse of words and meanings that are encompassed within the English language. Your current vocabulary may include many daily use English words, but are you aware of the right antonym words to use in your conversations? 

The word “antonym” has its origins in the Greek language. The Greek word for “opposite” is “anti” and “name” is “onym.” Antonyms, therefore, are words that have opposite or contrasting meanings. In fact, the word antonym, coined in 1867, serves as the opposite of synonyms. 

Understanding the kinds of antonyms and examples of the same can help you create an impact in your everyday conversations. Through these antonyms, you can make your writing more fun and engaging. They can also help you ace your IELTS and TOEFL. But do you know what some key differences between antonyms and synonyms are? Let’s have a look!

Difference between synonyms and antonyms 

Antonyms	Synonyms
Words that are opposites of each other are called antonyms.	Words that have similar or identical meanings are called synonyms.
According to Merriam Webster, an antonym is a word of opposite meaning.	According to Merriam Webster, a synonym is one of two or more words or expressions of the same language that have the same or nearly the same meaning in some or all senses.
Examples- Divide – Unite; Vacant – Occupied; Freeze – Boil.	Examples- Annihilation – Destruction; Polite – Gracious; Risky – Dangerous.

The role of antonyms

1. Antonyms serve as a good explanation of the lexicography in the definitions of words in the dictionary.
2. They also appear like a good tool for forming the antithesis in literature. Also, the figurative antonym meaning is an expressive tool in the literature.
3. For the word-formation linguistic ability, it can be said that they play a significant role in enriching the language and vocabulary.
4. Antonyms also show the ability to better explain words with their meaning in analogous and bilingual dictionaries. 
5. In psychology, antonyms can be linked with studies associating words through which the human mind can function in relation to countering.
6. In literature, opposites are analyzed as distinguishing features of dramatic prose.

List of 130 antonyms

Here are 130 antonyms words that can be an excellent tool to enrich your vocabulary and foster meaningful conversations in English.

1. Artificial – Natural 

2. Arrive – Depart 

3. Argue – Agree 

4. All – None 

5. Amateur – Professional 

6. Alive – Dead

7. Advanced – Elementary 

8. Adult – Child 

9. Ancestor – Descendant 

10. Angel – Devil 

11. Boy – Girl 

12. Build – Destroy 

13. Buy – Sell 

14. Borrow – Lend 

15. Body – Soul 

16. Blunt – Sharp 

17. Bitter – Sweet 

18. Bottom – Top 

19. Boring – Exciting 

20. Busy – Lazy 

21. Ceiling – Floor 

22. Catch – Miss 

23. Careful – Careless 

24. Calm – Excited 

25. Close – Open 

26. Cold – Hot 

27. Clear – Cloudy

28. Child – Adult 

29. Certainly – Probably 

30. Callous – Sensitive 

31. Die – Live

32. Dictatorship – Republic 

33. Dainty – Clumsy 

34. Desperate – Hopeful 

35. Divide – Unite 

36. Domestic – Foreign 

37. Distant – Near 

38. Different – Alike 

39. Drama – Comedy 

40. Dull – Interesting 

41. Emigration – Immigration 

42. Empty – Full 

43. Eager – Apathetic 

44. Everything – Nothing 

45. Evening – Morning 

46. Even – Odd 

47. Exclude – Include 

48. Expensive – Cheap 

49. Export – Import

50. Exit – Entrance 

50 more to go!

51. Foreground – Background 

52. For – Against 

53. Forbid – Allow 

54. Flippant – Somber 

55. Flat – Hilly 

56. Future – Past 

57. Frequently – Occasionally 

58. Funny – Serious 

59. Free- Dependent 

60. Friend – Enemy 

61. Gaiety – Misery 

62. Give – Take 

63. Guest – Host 

64. Guilty – Innocent 

65. Gentle – Violent 

66. Gentleman – Lady 

67. General – Particular 

68. Grown-Up – Child 

69. Good – Bad 

70. Giant – Tiny 

71. Heavy – Light 

72. Heaven – Hell 

73. Hopeful – Desperate 

74. Health – Disease 

75. Hate – Love 

76. Harvest – Plant 

77. Handsome – Ugly 

78. Happy – Sad 

79. High – Low 

80. Here – There 

81. Intentional – Accidental 

82. Intelligent – Silly 

83. Inside – Outside 

84. Ignore – Notice 

85. Increase – Reduce 

86. Interrupt – Continue 

87. Insult – Compliment 

88. Ill – Healthy 

89. Ignore – Notice 

90. Import – Export 

91. Loser – Winner 

92. Lower – Higher 

93. Marry – Divorce

94. Mend – Break 

95. Midnight – Noon 

96. Melt – Freeze 

97. Negative – Affirmative 

98. Native – Foreigner 

99. Nasty – Nice 

100. Narrow – Broad 

30 more to go!

101. Happy – Wistful

102. Humble – Proud

103. Important – Trivial

104. Safe – Unsafe

105. Secure – Insecure

106. Intentional – Accidental

107. Brighten – Fade

108. Broad – Narrow

109. Limited – Boundless

110. War – Peace

111. Permanent – Temporary

112. Plentiful – Scarce

113. Plural – Singular

114. Guilty – Innocent

115. Zenith – Nadir

116. Zip – Unzip

117. Exterior – Interior

118. External – Internal

119. Justice- Injustice 

120. Adjunct – Separated 

121. Brittle – Tough 

122. Bind – Release

123. Boisterous – Placid

124. Chastise – Cheer

125. Contrary – Similar

126. Cunning – Naive

127. Ferocious – Gentle 

128. Glory – Shame

129. Adamant – Flexible 

130. Compress – Expand 

Types of antonyms 

It is imperative for English language speakers to have an understanding of when to use what word. This can help speakers structure their conversations and convey their messages accurately.

Understanding the kinds of antonyms in English is a good step towards creating meaningful and relevant sentences – both verbal and written. 

1. Auto antonyms 

Auto-antonyms are words that have two meanings, including an opposite meaning. Auto-antonyms are also referred to as “Janu words” and “contronym.” 

Examples of auto-antonyms are-

I. Clip (Verb) 

Meaning 1 – To hold tightly or fasten together.
Meaning 2 – To cut off or cut apart. 

II. Give Out (Verb) 

Meaning 1 – To stop producing or cease functioning.
Meaning 2 – To distribute or produce 

III. Bound (Verb) 

Meaning 1 – To spring or leap.
Meaning 2 – To be restrained by a material such as rope. 

IV. Moot (Adjective) 

Meaning 1 – Something academic and debatable.
Meaning 2 – Irrelevant.

V. Oversight (Noun)

Meaning 1 – To keep under watchful care or supervision
Meaning 2 – To omit or make an omission. 

2. Complementary antonyms 

Complementary antonym words are also referred to as contradictory antonyms or direct antonyms. These are words that exist independently of one another. They do not need any other term or definition to be included in a statement. 

Examples of complementary antonyms are-

I. True – False 

II. Entrance – Exit 

III. Night – Day 

IV. Dead – Alive 

V. Pass – Fail 

3. Relational antonyms 

Relational antonyms are also referred to as converse antonyms. This term describes word pairs where the opposite makes sense only in the context of the relationship between the two meanings. An example of relational antonyms is “near” and “far,” since an object cannot be near without measuring it against an object that is far away. 

Examples of relational antonyms include-

I. Teacher – Pupil 

II. Teach – Learn 

III. Come – Go 

IV. Parent – Child 

V. Doctor – Patient 

4. Graded Antonyms 

Graded antonyms show a variation or grade between words that have similar meanings. For example, the words “overjoyed,” “gratified,” “pleased,” and “content” have a connection in relation to the word happy. These antonyms can be used in place of regular-use terms. 

Additional examples of graded antonyms include-

I. Healthy – Vigorous, Fit, Strong

II. Sad – Gloomy, Dejected, Miserable 

III. Stupid – Obtuse, Foolish, Unwise, Dim 

IV. Petite – Slight, Little 

V. Big – Huge, Full-Size, Bulky 

The function of antonyms 

1. Learning antonyms is an easy and effective way of enhancing your vocabulary.
2. Recognizing words in combination with the other or in relation to other groups of words can help you derive the right meanings and insights.
3. Studying antonyms allows you to choose your words appropriately when conveying a message to your audience.
4. Learning these opposite words will additionally facilitate following instructions and directions to the T.
5. Antonym words help you better describe the state of the world around you.
6. In addition to school texts, it helps dictionaries explain words better to foreign students. 
7. Antonyms are also key to designing the signs on traffic lights, visual artworks, and more.

Can synonyms and antonyms enhance your vocabulary skills?

Learning synonyms and antonyms is a great way to improve your vocabulary as you get several substitutes for the same word. This helps in-

1. Minimizing monotony in your language, and you might be able to capture the attention of your audience too. 
2. Antonyms and synonyms can also help you express yourself better by using the right word in the right place. 
3. Using these words can also help make your language interesting and effective. 
4. Lastly, many competitive exams judge you on your vocabulary or have synonyms and antonyms as part of the syllabus. Learning these words can help you nail those exams. 

Is there an easy way to learn antonym words?

While learning antonyms can enrich your vocabulary, it might also leave you confused if you try to do it all at once. Therefore, we have listed some effective ways of learning these words-

1. Begin with learning a few words and inculcating those in your vocabulary. Try and integrate the words you learn in your conversations and writing. Only then will it serve its purpose. 
2. Don’t try to learn antonyms and synonyms together, as it might confuse you and affect your fluency in English. Instead, learn one thing at a time and master it before moving on to the next. 
3. Start with familiarizing yourself with synonyms and antonym words related to your interests, hobbies, etc. Then, you can move to watching movies, listening to podcasts, reading blogs, etc., to broaden your horizon of learning. 
4. Don’t mug up the antonym words, as they won’t always fit the same in every sentence. Instead, learn what the word means in the sentence context and use antonyms when appropriate. 
5. Take every word as a new word and learn its meaning. This way, your brain will build connections, and antonyms will come more naturally over time.

Key takeaways 

1. The word “antonym” is derived from the Greek equivalent of the words “opposite” and “name.” Therefore, antonym words help convey the opposite aspect of an idea. 
2. There are many antonyms that are used in everyday conversation. Understanding these antonyms can help structure sentences and increase vocabulary. 
3. There are four different kinds of antonyms- auto-antonyms, complementary antonyms, relational antonyms, and graded antonyms.
4. Understanding the applications of antonyms is key to using them effectively and without errors. 
5. Use antonyms to make sentences more refined and interesting.
6. Save the antonym list given above. Learn 5 or more each day and incorporate them into your daily vocabulary. 
7. Make this process fun by trying word games and using different antonyms each time.

That’s all we have for you in this blog. If you have any questions/suggestions, reach out to us or drop a comment below.

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FAQs 

Q1. What is the difference between a synonym and an antonym?

Answer – Synonyms are words that have the same or a similar meaning to a given the word. Antonyms are words that have an opposite meaning. 

Q2. What is a synecdoche? 

Answer – A synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part represents a whole.

Q3. How are antonyms used in debates? 

Answer – Antonyms can be used effectively in debates to draw comparisons between two or more points of view.

Q4. What is the best antonym for the word common?

Answer- Some antonyms for the word common are-

• Uncommon 
• Rare 
• Exceptional
• Infrequent
• Peculiar
• Irregular

Q5. What does antonym mean?

Answer- Words that have opposite meanings are called antonyms. They can be used to make sentences sound more interesting and grab the readers’ attention. 

Q6. How do you use antonyms?

Answer- When you use antonyms, you can show contrast in points and give clear distinctions in meanings. They give you speech/language a broader variation. To use antonyms right, first, figure out the meaning of the word you want to use. To make a sentence sound and feel right, use antonyms of the same word.

Antonym example- The ocean waves look fierce today, but they were very gentle yesterday.

Q7. Does every word have an antonym?

Answer- No, not all words have antonyms, but most nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives do. Some words can have more than one antonym; for example, the antonym for neat can be messy and untidy.