Word with two meanings that are opposite

The English language is a mystery to many non-speakers. This is largely due to the contradictions within the language itself, such as English words that have opposite definitions despite being spelled the same way. If you’re an English speaker, you do not pay much attention to these things. But for English language learners, these types of words add to their confusion with the language.

Do you know what the words that are spelled similarly and have two different meanings are called? They are called contronyms. The simplest explanation is that they are words that have opposite meanings.

Several nyms comprise the English language. Words that mean the same thing are synonyms. Words that sound the same but have different spelling, such as pear and pair are homonyms. Antonyms are the opposite meaning of a word. Heteronyms are words spelled similarly but pronounced differently.

What is a contronym?

A contronym is one word that has opposite meanings, which depends on the context of its use. It seems illogical that one word can have two different meanings, which can be the exact opposite of the other at times. For example, the word cleave means to cling, to adhere or to stick to something or someone. But it can also mean to cut, to split or to separate.

A contronym has other names, too. Some people call it contronym while others refer to it as autoantonym. More descriptive terms include antilogy, self-antonym, enantiodrome and antagonym. There’s still another term that many people use to refer to contronyms – Janus words. It was derived from Janus, an Italian deity of old, said to be heaven’s doorkeeper whose head has two faces, one in front and one at the back.

Development of English words with opposite meanings

The English language continues to evolve, including its parts. People, especially native speakers of English use contronyms in their daily conversation, but it may be tricky for learners of the language.

Contronyms develop over time as a result of constant use. For example, according to its etymology, the word blunt used to mean obtuse (person) or dull (weapons, tools) when it was used from the 12^th century to the late 14^th century. But around the 1580s, it became a word to mean sharp, referring to abrupt manner or speech, which takes on the context of making an unceremoniously made or direct comment. Another example is the word bolt, an Old English term whose original meaning (as a verb) is to fix or fasten something. Centuries later, bolt is also used to mean spring into sudden action, which could have been derived from bolt (noun) that refers to a missile or projectile such as an arrow.

One vital thing for English language learners to remember is to understand the context in using a word so that they will not make the mistake of saying something that is contradictory to the intended meaning.

This knowledge is essential in interpretation and translation as well. If a contronym is used in a different context, it can distort the whole meaning of the conversation or a sentence. If you need translation or interpreting services, ensure that you collaborate with a professional and native-speaking translator or interpreter, so as to avoid these types of mistakes.

The development of contronyms is also due to pronunciation changes through the years. Let’s look at the word cleave again. It means to join together and to split apart. It came from two Old English words, cleofan (split apart, separate) and cleofian (also clifian, cliofian) (adhere, stick together). Through years of use, the two words started to sound the same and later merged to become cleave.

Here’s another interesting one. Let is a word that used to mean stop, delay, obstruct, impede. It came from the Old English term lettan. Another Old English word, lætan means to leave undone, leave behind, bequeath or to allow. The original words later formed the contronym, let.

In some cases, the difference is the variant of English one uses creates the contronyms. In a parliamentary procedure, to table a bill means that the bill could be discussed, considered or reconsidered in British English. In American English however, it means to suspend or postpone the consideration.

Examples of contronyms

If you love languages, you’ll have fun with contronyms. But for many people, it can be confusing. So instead of getting confused, here are some examples of contronyms, which could be words that you use every day or see often. You may not even realize that you are using them in two different contexts because you are so used to them.

1. Sanction is either to impose a penalty on something or give official approval or permission.
2. You use left when you mean someone or something is still remaining (this is what’s left of the bunch), but it can also be used to mean someone departed (left the party, group, team, etc.).
3. You dust the furniture to remove dirt. You can also dust, in the context of applying it, such as dusting a cake with powdered sugar.
4. When you seed a cucumber, you are removing its seeds. When you seed your lawn, you are adding  seeds (grass) to the soil.
5. Trim can mean to cut or remove irregularities or outgrowth (plants, trees) or reduce the length of your hair. But you can also use the word to mean embellishing or decorating something, such as a Christmas tree.
6. When you mean something or someone is moving rapidly, you say it or she/he is fast. In terms of fabric color, it means that the dye will not run. It can also mean something is unmoving or fixed.
7. Off, when used as an adjective can mean something is not in operation or is deactivated, such as the stove is off or the light is off. It can also mean activated (the alarm went off) as well. As an adverb, it can denote distance in relation to space and time (the dinghy is two kilometers off the shore) or moving from a position or place (drove off, went off to work, event is still two weeks off).
8. Weather is an atmospheric condition, but it could mean enduring, as in weathered the economic downturn, or worn away, just like weathered wood or rock.
9. You can either screen to hide or block out an ugly view or corner, or use it to mean show (film/movie), test or sort.
10. Clip can mean bind things together, such as sheets of paper. It can also mean to separate or cut away or a part, as in clip your fingernails, clip the wings.
11. Centuries back, flog meant to whip, cane or beat a person or animal. In today’s application, it is used as a sales term, as in persistently promote something (such as a book).
12. The word hold can either mean to support something or someone, but it can also mean hinder, arrest or confine.
13. When you say toss, it can either mean discarding something, but it can also mean suggesting (like toss out an idea).
14. The military term anabasis means military retreat as well as military advance.

Here are more contronyms for you to use:

• Aught (nothing, all)
• Chuffed (annoyed, pleased)
• Consult (give advice, seek advice)
• Custom (special, usual)
• Dollop (small amount, large amount)
• Enjoin (prohibit, prescribe)
• Garnish (curtail wages, enhance food)
• Give out (stop production, produce)
• Grade (level, incline)
• Handicap (disadvantage e.g. physical or mental condition, advantage)
• Mean (excellent, average)
• Put out (generate, extinguish)
• Strike (miss, hit)
• Transparent (obvious, invisible)
• Unbending (relaxing, rigid)
• Wind up (start up, end)
• Story (factual, untrue account)
• Scan (skim, scrutinize)
• Refrain (stop an action, repeat an action, e.g, song refrain)
• Oversight (close control and scrutiny, accidental error or omission)
• Overlook (place to see things from above, miss seeing things or details)
• Peruse (read in a cursory or casual way, go over something attentively)

Remember that when using contronyms, you have to be aware of the words’ context, to ensure that you are relaying the right message.

Assurance of right context and correct definitions

The job of a professional translator is to provide an accurate translation of a source document into any language, which also includes careful consideration of the context of the message to ensure its proper delivery. At Day Translations, Inc. we work only with native speakers, to ensure the quality of the language. Our translators live in-country, so they are not only fluent in the language, but they are also fully knowledgeable of the culture of their country. They are professionals with years of experience in language services.

We also have subject matter experts for specific translation needs. We see to it that all the translation projects we handle pass through our quality control process to make sure that ensure accuracy, appropriateness of terminology and proper context. For all your translation and interpreting needs, call Day Translations. We offer a full suite of language services so you only have to talk to one organization. We are available 24/7, 365 days of the year. You can reach us through 1-800-969-6853. You have the option to send us an email as well here: Contact us.

Image Copyright: Viorel Sima / 123RF Stock Photo

Contronym	Opposite meaning of the word
Apology	A statement of contrition for an action, or a defence of one.
Aught	All, or nothing
Bill	A payment, or an invoice for payment
Bolt	To secure, or to flee
Bound	Heading to a destination, or restrained from movement
Buckle	To connect, or to break or collapse
Cleave	Adhere, or to separate
Clip	To fasten, or detach
Consult	Offer advice, or obtain it
Continue	To keep doing an action, or to suspend an action
Custom	A common practice, or a special treatment
Dike	Wall to prevent flooding, or a ditch
Discursive	Moving in an orderly fashion among topics, or proceeding aimlessly in a discussion
Dollop	A large amount (in British English), or a small amount
Dust	To add fine particles, or to remove them
Enjoin	Impose, or prohibit
Fast	Quick, or stuck or made stable
Fine	Excellent, or acceptable or good enough
Finished	Completed, or ended or destroyed
First degree	Most severe in the case of a murder charge, or least severe in reference to a burn
Fix	Repair, or to castrate
Flog	To promote persistently, or to criticize or beat
Garnish	Furnish (for example as with food preparation), or to take away (as with wages)
Give out	To provide, or to stop because of a lack of supply
Go	Proceed or succeed, or to weaken or fail
Grade	A degree of slope, or a horizontal line or position
Handicap	An advantage provided to ensure equality, or a disadvantage that prevents equal achievement
Help	To assist, or to prevent or (in negative constructions) restrain
Hold up	Support, or impede
Lease	To offer property for rent, or to hold such property
Left	Remained, or departed
Let	Allowed, or hindered
Liege	A feudal lord, or a vassal
Literally	Actually, or virtually
Mean	Average or stingy, or excellent
Model	An exemplar, or a copy
Off	Deactivated, or activated, as an alarm
Out	Visible, as with stars showing in the sky, or invisible, in reference to lights
Out of	Outside, or inside, as in working out of a specific office
Overlook	To supervise, or to neglect
Oversight	Monitoring, or failing to oversee
Peer	A person of the nobility, or an equal
Presently	Now, or soon
Put out	Extinguish, or generate
Puzzle	A problem, or to solve one
Quantum	Significantly large, or a minuscule part
Quiddity	Essence, or a trifling point of contention
Quite	Rather (as a qualifying modifier), or completely
Ravel	Entangle, or disentangle
Refrain	To desist from doing something, or to repeat
Rent	Purchase the use of something, or to sell the use of something
Rock	An immobile mass of stone or figuratively similar phenomenon, or a shaking or unsettling movement or action
Sanction	To approve, or to boycott
Sanguine	Confidently cheerful, or bloodthirsty
Scan	To peruse, or to glance
Screen	Present, or conceal
Seed	To sow seeds, or to shed or remove them
Shop	When one patronises a business in order to purchase something, or to sell something
Skin	To cover, or to remove
Skinned	Covered with skin, or with the skin removed
Splice	To join, or to separate
Stakeholder	One who has a stake in an enterprise, or a bystander who holds the stake for those placing a bet
Strike	To hit, or to miss in an attempt to hit
Table	Propose (in British English), or to set aside
Temper	To soften, or to strengthen
Throw out	Dispose of something, or present for consideration
Transparent	Invisible, or obvious
Trim	To decorate, or to remove excess from
Trip	A journey, or a stumble
Unbending	Rigid, or relaxing
Variety	A particular type, or many types
Wear	To endure, or to deteriorate
Weather	Withstand, or wear away
Wind up	To end, or to start up
With	Alongside, or against

Are these words two-faced?

There are four people at a dinner party. By midnight, two people had left. How many people are left at the party?

Left is just one of many words or expressions known as a contronym—or contranym—a word that has two meanings that are opposite or nearly opposite. In this example, left means both “leave” (two people had left) and “remain” (How many people are left?), which are antonyms. An antonym is a word that is opposite in meaning to another.

Contronyms are also known as Janus words. Janus was an ancient Roman god with two faces that looked in opposite directions, so you can see how he came to be associated with contronyms. (You might be surprised to know that Janus is also connected to the month of January.)

Another term for these words is auto-antonym, or a word that means the opposite of itself. Technical terms for this phenomenon are enantiosemy, enantionymy, or antilogy.

You’re likely familiar with many of these contronyms, even if you don’t realize it. So check out some of the most common ones, before you check out.

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.

Liked this blog? Read next: English speech topics | Best topics to engage your audience!

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.