An antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word.
Examples:
big and small (e.g. the huge cruise ship and the tiny sail boat in the photo above 🙂 )
true and false
in and out
fast and slow
early and late
hot and cold
happy and sad
off and on
quiet and loud
clean and dirty
push and pull
old and young
all and none
empty and full
hot and cold
Â
1. Converse or relational antonyms are those where one cannot exist without the other.Â
For example, if someone is a husband there must also be a wife; and if someone is a parent then there must also be a child.
doctor and patient
grandparent and grandchild
teacher and pupil
teach and learn
buy and sell
borrow and lend
employer and employee
give and receive
2. Graded or gradable antonyms are those which operate on a continuum..
For example, something can be very loud or very quiet, or quite loud or quite quiet; or any degree of volume in between two extremes.
evil and good
big and small
dark and light
hot and cold
best and worst
hard and soft
wide and narrow
high and low
nervous and calm
fat and thin
3. Complementary antonyms are those which express an either / or relationship: there is no continuum or middle ground between two these extremes.
For example, something can be either dead or alive or true or false– it cannot be between these extremes.
attack and defend
depart and arrive
on and off
push and pull
exterior and interior
send and receive
exit and entrance
exhale and inhale
Can you think of any other examples of antonyms?
Please share them with me 🙂
Image © kansasphoto
