What is an antonym?
An antonym is a word that has the opposite meaning of another word. For example, hot and cold, up and down, and happy and sad are antonyms.
There are several types of antonyms. Gradable antonyms describe opposite ends of a scale, with values in between, like hot and cold, which have warm and cool between them. Complementary antonyms have no middle ground, like alive and dead or on and off. Relational antonyms describe a relationship from opposite sides, like buy and sell or teacher and student.
Many antonyms are made by adding prefixes like un-, in-, dis- and non-, as in happy and unhappy, possible and impossible, agree and disagree. Learning antonyms helps build vocabulary and understand words more deeply.
Words that are their own opposites
Some words, called contronyms or auto-antonyms, can mean opposite things depending on context. Sanction can mean to allow or to punish, dust can mean to remove dust or to add it, and left can mean remaining or departed.
Did You Know?
The word antonym comes from Greek anti, meaning against or opposite, and onyma, meaning name.