What is the definition of antonym

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 types of words: verbsnounsadjectivesadverbsand even prepositions.

Forget doing it or forget to do it? Avoiding common mistakes with verb patterns 2. Add to word list Add to word list. Two antonyms of " light " are " dark " and " heavy ". Synonym opposite.

What is the definition of antonym

Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. Here are some examples of antonyms:. An antonym can be an adjective , adverb , noun , preposition , or verb. There are a few different types of antonyms to be aware of: auto-antonyms, converse antonyms, complementary antonyms, and graded antonyms. Auto-antonyms are also known as contranyms. An auto-antonym is a single word that can take on opposite meanings. For example:. Converse antonyms are also known as relational antonyms. Complementary antonyms are also known as direct antonyms, binary antonyms, or contradictory antonyms. Complementary antonyms are words that are completely opposite from each other. These antonyms have no middle ground. Here are some examples of complementary antonyms:.

Placing opposites together highlights their differences and makes the individual words stronger. Yes, it is possible to be kempt, couth, ruly, and gruntled. Understanding antonyms can improve your vocabulary.

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Some Differences Between Synonyms and Antonyms. The English language and, we may presume, many other languages has both antonyms and synonyms. There are many more words with synonyms than there are words with antonyms , since many things exist which do not have an opposite the word sandwich , for instance, may be said to have synonyms in the words hoagie , grinder , submarine , and many other words, but there is no opposite of sandwich. Antonym is also a much more recent addition to English than synonym is; it first appeared in the s, whereas synonym has been used for more than years. Additionally, both nouns have adjectival forms: synonymous and antonymous. Synonymous , which is often used loosely "She has become synonymous with good taste" , is the more common of the two. These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'antonym. Send us feedback about these examples.

What is the definition of antonym

A word having a meaning opposite to that of another word: The word "wet" is an antonym of the word "dry. All rights reserved. Compare synonym def. Copyright , , by Random House, Inc. Switch to new thesaurus. Based on WordNet 3. That which is diametrically opposed to another: antipode , antipodes , antithesis , contrary , converse , counter , opposite , reverse. Logic: contradictory , contrapositive. Antonym Gegenwort. Big and small are antonyms.

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In English, antonyms are often used with prefixes , small syllables of around one to three letters that attach to the beginnings of words to change their meaning. Quiz German confusables. Everything you need to achieve more in less time Get powerful productivity and security apps with Microsoft Buy Now. Which Word Does Not Belong? We have almost lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots! Accessed 11 Mar. Recent Examples on the Web Cisgender is a term for a person whose gender identity matches the one assigned to them at birth—an antonym for transgender. English—German German—English. Understanding antonyms can also improve your word choice so you become a more effective communicator. Dictionary Entries Near antonym.

For each set of words, can you tell which one is not a synonym of all the others? Yes, it is possible to be kempt, couth, ruly, and gruntled. Accessed 3 Mar.

As for an inclusive collective term, there is much to be said for calling these services ' private ' policing, as the antonym of ' public ' policing. English—German German—English. This is because big and small are opposites; the synonym of big is large because big and large mean the same thing. Quiz French confusables. More Commonly Mispronounced Words. Which Word Does Not Belong? Browse antivirus. Need a translator? Grammar Thesaurus. Get Word of the Day daily email! English—Swedish Swedish—English. Video Guides.