OPPOSITE ADJECTIVES
List of Opposites of Adjectives with
Pictures
Opposite Adjectives! In some
situations you may be required to define the opposite of an adjective, for
example in a sentence such as ‘The blue car is fast but the red car is slow.‘
There are a huge range of opposites and being able to pair them up in English
will make you sound more like a native speaker as well as widening your overall
vocabulary.
In this section, you will learn the
opposite of a great selection of English adjectives which you can then apply to
your day to day conversation.
OPPOSITE ADJECTIVES LIST
Slow – Fast
Thick – Thin
Straight – Curly
Light – Heavy
Loose – Tight
Beautiful – Ugly
Big – Small
Strong – Weak
Healthy – Sick
Low – High
Poor – Wealthy
Short – Tall
Thin – Fat
Insane – Sane
Bad – Good
Straight – Crooked
Deep – Shallow
Dark – Light
Lazy – Hard-working
Brave – Cowardly
Cheap – Expensive
Distant – Near
Modern – Ancient
Delicious – Awful
Wide – Narrow
Talkative – Taciturn
Healthy – Sick
Careful – Careless
Pessimistic – Optimistic
Tidy – Messy
Patient – Impatient
Friendly – Unfriendly
Cold – Hot
Dishonest – Honest
Happy – Unhappy
Selfish – Generous
OPPOSITES (FROM A-Z)
1: ANTONYMS LIST | OPPOSITE WORDS (A)
List of opposites that start with A with examples.
A lot —— A little
We’ve spent a lot on the children’s education.
Fortunately I had a little time to spare.
Abate —— Increase
Steps are to be taken to abate pollution.
The population has increased from 1.2 million to 1.8 million.
Able —— Unable
You must be able to speak French for this job.
She was unable to hide her excitement.
Abortive —— Successful
During the war of 1770 the Greeks had risen in an abortive
rebellion, promptly crushed by the Turks.
They were successful in winning the contract.
Above —— Below
I heard a strange noise coming from the room above.
I could hear voices in the courtyard below my window.
Abridge —— Expand
Antonyms examples:
She has been asked to abridge the novel for radio.
The waist expands to fit all sizes.
Absent —— Present
Students who are regularly absent from school.
The gases present in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Abundant —— Scarce
Fish are abundant in the lake.
Food was often scarce in the winter.
Accept —— Decline
Rick accepted her offer of coffee.
His school reports said that he never declines a challenge.
Accept —— Refuse
Opposites examples:
He accepted the invitation to stay with us.
The chairman refused to answer any more questions.
Accurate —— Inaccurate
The brochure tries to give a fair and accurate description of
each hotel.
A lot of what has been written about him is inaccurate.
Achieve —— Fail
He had finally achieved success.
She failed to get into art college.
Add —— Subtract
If you add all these amounts together you get a huge figure.
If you subtract 6 from 9, you get 3.
Adjacent —— Distant
We stayed in adjacent rooms.
Stars are distant from our galaxy.
Admire —— Detest
Antonyms examples:
I really admire your enthusiasm.
The two men detested each other.
Admit —— Deny
A quarter of all workers admit to taking time off when they
are not ill.
The department denies responsibility for what occurred.
Admit —— Reject
She admits to being strict with her children.
The prime minister rejected any idea of reforming the system.
Adore —— Hate
She adores working with children.
I hate to see you unhappy.
Advance —— Retreat
Opposites examples:
The troops were finally given the order to advance.
The army was forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses.
Advantage —— Disadvantage
Her experience meant that she had a big advantage over her
opponent.
The disadvantage of the material is that it fades in strong
sunlight.
Against —— For
Mr. Howard has declared that he is against all forms of
racism.
Everybody is always for peace.
Agree —— Disagree
Opposite words examples:
If she felt he was right, she would agree with him.
He is tolerant of those who disagree with him.
Alive —— Dead
It was a bad accident – they’re lucky to be alive.
Two men were shot dead by terrorists.
All —— None
Have you done all your homework?
We saw several houses but none we really liked.
Allow —— Forbid
My parents wouldn’t allow me to go to the party.
He was forbidden to leave the house, as a punishment.
Ally —— Enemy
Antonyms examples:
Ridley was one of the Queen’s closest allies.
He was accused of collaboration with the enemy.
Alone —— Together
She lives alone.
We’ve very much enjoyed working together.
Always —— Never
I’ve always wanted to go to Paris.
He’s never been to Australia.
Amateur —— Professional
Mickelson won his first major golf tournament while still an
amateur.
You need a professional to sort out your finances.
Amuse —— Bore
Opposites examples:
He made funny faces to amuse the children.
His blue eyes seemed to bore into her.
Ancient —— Modern
So according to history it has been found from the most
ancient times, and so it is to our own day.
They are the youngest children in modern times to face murder
charges.
Annoy —— Soothe
She annoyed him with her stupid questions.
She made a cup of tea to soothe her nerves.
Answer —— Question
Opposite words examples:
The short answer is that it can’t be done.
They asked me quite a lot of difficult questions about my
job.
Apparent —— Obscure
The difference in quality was immediately apparent.
I found her lecture very obscure.
Arrive —— Leave
He arrived late as usual.
My baby gets upset when I leave the room.
Arrive —— Depart
Opposites examples:
What time does the plane arrive in New York?
Flights by Air Europe depart Gatwick on Tuesdays.
Arrogant —— Humble
He was unbearably arrogant.
Taylor’s students describe him as a humble and modest man.
Ascend —— Descend
Antonyms examples:
The plane ascended rapidly.
Our plane started to descend.
Ask —— Answer
We’ll have to ask someone the way to the station.
I repeated the question, but she didn’t answer.
Ask —— Tell
I asked him where he lived.
Jack had to go, but he didn’t tell me why.
Attack —— Defend
There have been several attacks on foreigners recently.
We need to defend against military aggression.
Attractive —— Repulsive
She is an attractive woman.
What a repulsive man!
Awake —— Asleep
Opposites examples:
She was still only half awake when I brought her a cup of
coffee.
Kelly was asleep on the sofa.
Awkward —— Graceful
She may appear stiff and perhaps awkward.
Her father was a quiet man with graceful manners.
2: ANTONYMS | OPPOSITES (B)
List of opposite words that start
with B with examples.
Back —— Front
I found some old photos at the back of the drawer.
There’s a garden at the front of the house.
Bad —— Good
I have some bad news for you.
The train service is not very good.
Bare —— Covered
The room was completely bare except for a bed against the
wall.
The walls were covered with pictures.
Beautiful —— Ugly
Opposites examples:
The bride looked beautiful in that dress.
He was short, nearsighted, ugly and exceptionally awkward.
Before —— After
I saw her a few days before she died.
I go swimming every day after work.
Begin —— End
Antonyms examples:
In the third year, students begin the study of classical
Chinese.
The speaker ended by suggesting some topics for discussion.
Beginning —— Conclusion
There’s a short poem at the beginning of every chapter.
At the conclusion of the meeting, little progress had been
made.
Behind —— In front of
I turned to speak to the person standing behind me.
She spends all day sitting in front of her computer.
Best —— Worst
He won the best actor award.
This is the worst recession for fifty years.
Better —— Worse
Opposites examples:
There must be a better way to do this.
The violence was worse than we expected.
Big —— Little
They belong to the rich man who lives in the big white house
there among the trees.
He was quite an old little man and his head was long and
entirely bald.
Birth —— Death
What’s your date of birth?
Cancer is the leading cause of death in women.
Bitter —— Sweet
Black coffee leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
This tea is too sweet.
Black —— White
Matthew had thick black hair, but Natalie’s was blonde.
His face is white, and he seems very weak.
Blame —— Praise
Marie still blames herself for Patrick’s death.
The mayor praised the rescue teams for their courage.
Bless —— Curse
Antonyms examples:
God bless you!
Elsa cursed herself for believing his lies.
Blunt —— Sharp
Sharpen all your blunt knives.
Make sure you use a good sharp knife.
Body —— Soul
Your body temperature is higher in the daytime than at night.
There was a feeling of restlessness deep in her soul.
Bold —— Timid
My aunt was a bold determined woman.
I was a timid child.
Boring —— Interesting
I trudged through a boring day, knowing I’d return to an
empty apartment as Betsy was off to Los Angeles for the entire week.
Dr. Bell told me many interesting things about his work.
Bottom —— Top
Opposites examples:
I waited for them at the bottom of the hill.
She was standing at the top of the stairs.
Boundless —— Limited
Today, the opportunities for leaders are boundless, but so
are the challenges.
My knowledge of the business is limited.
Boy —— Girl
The boys wanted to play football.
I’ve known Mollie ever since I was a little girl.
Brave —— Cowardly
It was brave of you to speak in front of all those people.
He was very cowardly because he did not tell that truth.
Break —— Repair
I had to break a window to get into the house.
It was too late to repair the damage done to their
relationship.
Brief —— Long
We stopped by Alice’s house for a brief visit.
He’s been gone a long time.
Bright —— Dull
Antonyms examples:
The weather was bright and sunny.
Outside the weather was hazy and dull.
Brighten —— Fade
The morning sunshine brightened up the room.
The sun had faded the curtains.
Bring —— Remove
Robert asked the waiter to bring him the check.
Reference books may not be removed from the library.
Brother —— Sister
My younger brother is a doctor.
My older sister is a nurse.
Busy —— Idle
Opposite words examples:
Mr. Haynes is busy with a customer at the moment.
The workers have been idle for the last six months.
Buy —— Sell
The money will be used to buy equipment for the school.
If you offer him another hundred, I think he’ll sell.
3: ANTONYMS LIST | OPPOSITES (C)
List of opposite words that start with C with examples.
Calm —— Windy
It is a calm day.
It’s too windy for a picnic.
Capable —— Incapable
All the staff at the nursing home seemed very capable.
He seemed incapable of understanding how she felt.
Captive —— Free
His son had been taken captive during the raid.
He knew he could be free in as little as three years.
Capture —— Release
The robbery was captured on police video cameras.
Police arrested several men, who were later released.
Careful —— Careless
He was being very careful with the coffee so as not to spill
it.
He’s careless with his glasses and has lost three pairs.
Cautious —— Careless
Antonyms examples:
Keller is cautious about making predictions for the success
of the program.
It was careless of him to leave the door unlocked.
Center —— Edge
His goal is to turn Stanford into a center for environmental
policy.
Billy sat on the edge of the bed.
Change —— Remain
Susan has changed a lot since I last saw her.
Despite the job losses, Parker remained as manager.
Cheap —— Expensive
Opposites examples:
Property is cheaper in Spain than here.
Petrol is becoming more and more expensive.
Cheerful —— Sad
She’s feeling more cheerful today.
I was sad about the friends I was leaving behind.
Child —— Adult
Antonyms examples:
I was very happy as a child.
Some children find it difficult to talk to adults.
Chilly —— Warm
Despite the chilly autumn afternoon, she was wearing a thin
cotton dress.
I hope we get some warm weather soon.
Clean —— Dirty
As usual, she left her room clean and tidy before going to
school.
She circled the bedroom, picking up dirty clothes.
Clever —— Stupid
Lucy is quite clever and does well at school.
That was a stupid thing to say.
Clever —— Foolish
She is a clever girl.
I was young and foolish at the time.
Close —— Open
Opposites examples:
Would you mind if I closed the window?
Mr. Chen opened the car door for his wife.
Cold —— Hot
Let’s get in out of this cold wind.
In dry gourds, they were served a hot tea made from the
ground leaves of something Bordeaux called the lip fern.
Combine —— Separate
Antonyms examples:
A number of factors have combined to create this difficult
situation.
Those suffering from infectious diseases were separated from
the other patients.
Comfort —— Discomfort
All our sports shoes are designed for comfort and
performance.
There can be no question of her discomfort.
Complete —— Incomplete
Work on the new building is nearly complete.
Unfortunately, I do not have the information because our
records are incomplete.
Complex —— Simple
Opposite words examples:
It was a very complex relationship between two complex
people.
I’m sure there’s a perfectly simple explanation.
Compliment —— Insult
Being compared to Abba is a great compliment.
His comments were seen as an insult to the president.
Conceal —— Reveal
Opposites examples:
She tried to conceal the fact that she was pregnant.
He may be prosecuted for revealing secrets about the security
agency.
Continue —— Interrupt
Sheila continued to work after she had her baby.
My studies were interrupted by the war.
Cool —— Warm
The evening air was cool.
I hope we get some warm weather soon.
Copy —— Original
Antonyms examples:
We have six copies of the movie to give away.
He copied paintings of famous artists and passed them off as
originals.
Correct —— Incorrect
If my calculations are correct, we’re about ten miles from
Exeter.
The information you gave us was incorrect.
Correct —— Wrong
You are correct, the Missouri is the longest river in the US.
Your calculations must be wrong.
Countryman —— Foreigner
Opposites examples:
He didn’t look like a farmer, yet he looked a countryman.
Tom felt that people were suspicious of him because he was a
foreigner.
Courage —— Cowardice
Sue showed great courage throughout her illness.
She was ashamed of her cowardice.
Crazy —— Sane
The neighbors must think we’re crazy.
Of course he isn’t mad. He’s as sane as you or I.
Create —— Destroy
Antonyms examples:
The new factory is expected to create more than 400 new jobs.
The scandal destroyed Simmons and ended his political career.
Cruel —— Kind
The prisoner was a hard cruel man.
She’s a very kind and generous person.
Customer —— Supplier
Opposite words examples:
We aim to offer good value and service to all our customers.
You will need to be able to deal with both customers and
suppliers.
4: ANTONYMS LIST | OPPOSITE WORDS (D)
List of opposites that start with D with examples.
Damage —— Improve
Smoking can severely damage your health.
The doctors say she is improving.
Dark —— Bright
At the kitchen door she nearly ran into a dark form.
With his small frame and bright eyes, he’d always reminded
her of an elf of some sort.
Dark —— Light
Opposites examples:
The church was dark and quiet.
The kitchen was light and spacious.
Dawn —— Sunset
It had been the hope which had kept her going through the
dawn and early morning.
Lovers walked hand in hand towards the sunset.
Daytime —— Midnight
I can’t sleep in the daytime.
We stayed there until way after midnight.
Deep —— Shallow
Opposites examples:
The castle is on an island surrounded by a deep lake.
The lake is quite shallow.
Demand —— Supply
I demand to know what’s going on.
An informer supplied the police with the names of those
involved in the crime.
Despair —— Hope
She killed herself in despair.
When I first arrived in New York, I was full of hope for the
future.
Difficult —— Easy
The exam was very difficult.
Finishing the task will be easy.
Dim —— Bright
Opposite words examples:
Isaac was old and his eyes were dim.
Her eyes were hurting from the bright lights.
Discourage —— Encourage
My father is a lawyer, and he discouraged me from entering
the field.
I want to thank everyone who has encouraged and supported me.
Doctor —— Patient
Antonyms examples:
She was treated by her local doctor.
St Dominic’s Hospital treats about 10,000 patients a year.
Doubt —— Trust
The incident raises doubts about the safety of nuclear power.
You shouldn’t put your trust in a man like that.
Downwards —— Upwards
Share prices continued their downward trend.
Stroke the cream onto your skin in an upward direction.
Drunk —— Sober
David would get drunk and I would have to take him home and
put him to bed.
He’s a nice guy when he’s sober.
Dry —— Wet
Opposites examples:
The air was dry and hot, as if she were in a sauna.
Deidre whipped the door open, ignoring the sting of her wet
hair against her shoulders.
Dusk —— Dawn
The street lights go on at dusk.
The boats set off at dawn.
5: ANTONYMS | OPPOSITES (E)
List of opposite words that start with E with examples.
Early —— Late
The bus was ten minutes early.
You’re half an hour late.
Earth —— Sky
Antonyms examples:
They watched the kite fall back to earth.
There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.
East —— West
He turned and walked away towards the east.
A damp wind blew from the west.
Easy —— Hard
The test was easy.
You’ll have to make some hard decisions.
Effective —— Ineffective
Opposites examples:
Training is often much less effective than expected.
The chemical was almost totally ineffective in killing the
weeds.
Elementary —— Advanced
You’ve made a very elementary mistake.
She is learning advanced physics.
Employer —— Employee
They’re very good employers.
The firm has over 500 employees.
Empty —— Full
Opposite words examples:
The fuel tank’s almost empty.
The kitchen was full of smoke.
Enter —— Exit
Opposites examples:
Silence fell as I entered the room.
I exited through a side window.
Evening —— Morning
I do most of my studying in the evening.
I’m not feeling very well this morning.
Evil —— Good
Antonyms examples:
There is too much evil in the world.
I learn to see life as a titanic moral struggle between good
and evil.
Excited —— Bored
I’m so excited that we’re going to New York.
After a while, I got bored and left.
Exhale —— Inhale
He sat back and exhaled deeply.
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.
Expand —— Contract
The last were razed in 1890, and the town was permitted to
expand in this direction.
All leeches are very extensile and can contract the body to a
plump, pearshaped form, or extend it to a long and wormlike shape.
Expand —— Shrink
Opposite words examples:
The hotel wants to expand its business by adding a swimming
pool.
The firm’s staff had shrunk to only four people.
Export —— Import
Italian food has been exported all over the world.
We import coffee from Colombia.
Exterior —— Interior
Antonyms examples:
The dome is tiled on the exterior.
The interior of the church was dark.
External —— Internal
An external auditor will verify the accounts.
Some photos contain internal evidence that may help to date
them.
6: ANTONYMS LIST | OPPOSITES (F)
List of opposite words that start with F with examples.
Fact —— Fiction
Much of the novel is based on fact.
Anthony’s first books were historical fiction.
Fake —— Real
Opposites examples:
The defense said the photos were fake.
She had never seen a real live elephant before.
Fall —— Rise
The rate of inflation was falling.
Sales rose by 20% over the Christmas period.
Famous —— Unknown
Many famous people have stayed in the hotel.
An unknown number of people were killed.
Fashionable —— Old Fashioned
He looked to be about her age and his blond hair was neatly
combed into a fashionable style.
Many houses, especially in State, Danforth and Congress
streets, are simple in style and old-fashioned in architecture.
Fast —— Slow
Opposites examples:
I’m a fast learner.
The wound was slow to heal.
Fat —— Thin
You’ll get fat if you eat all that chocolate.
He was tall and thin, with short brown hair.
Fat —— Skinny
He looks much fatter than in his photo.
Some supermodels are far too skinny.
Feeble —— Strong
Antonyms examples:
She was too feeble to leave her room.
Laura had a strong character.
Few —— Many
The team that makes the fewest mistakes usually wins.
Many people have to use a car to travel to work.
Find —— Lose
“Yes. I couldn’t find a better friend than Alex, could I?”
she said.
I didn’t want to lose you, but I didn’t want you to be
unhappy like mother either.
Firm —— Flabby
Opposite words examples:
The sofa cushions are fairly firm.
It was that of a young man, tall but somewhat flabby muscled.
First —— Last
Opposites examples:
The first time I flew on a plane I was really nervous.
I hadn’t seen him since the last meeting.
Float —— Sink
I wasn’t sure if the raft would float.
Their motorboat struck a rock and began to sink.
Floor —— Ceiling
We are located on the seventh floor of the building.
The house has two rooms with high ceilings.
Foolish —— Wise
Opposites examples:
It would be foolish to ignore his advice.
I think you were wise to leave when you did.
Forget —— Remember
What happened that day will never be forgotten.
I remember meeting her at a party once.
Forgivable —— Unforgivable
It was an easily forgivable mistake.
Patrick had deceived her, and that was unforgivable.
Forgive —— Blame
Opposites examples:
I’ve tried to forgive him for what he said.
The report blames poor safety standards for the accident.
Fortunate —— Unfortunate
I’ve been fortunate to find a career that I love.
He has an unfortunate habit of repeating himself.
Forward —— Backward
He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table.
She went without a backward glance.
Free —— Restricted
Opposite words examples:
The animals are allowed to run free in the park.
It’s difficult trying to work in such a restricted space.
Freeze —— Boil
Antonyms examples:
The water pipes have frozen.
We were advised to boil the water before drinking it.
Fresh —— Stale
The beans are fresh from the garden.
French bread goes stale very quickly.
Friend —— Enemy
Opposites examples:
Don’t worry, you’re among friends.
Cats and dogs have always been natural enemies.
Frown —— Smile
She frowned as she read the letter.
Mark read the message and smiled to himself.
Funny —— Sad
Do you remember any funny stories about work?
Dad looked sad and worried as he read the letter.
7: ANTONYMS (G)
List of opposite words that start with G with examples.
Generous —— Stingy
She’s always very generous to the kids.
She’s too stingy to give money to charity.
Gentle —— Rough
Opposites examples:
Arthur was a very gentle, caring person.
Rugby is a very rough sport.
Giant —— Tiny
Giant cabbages grew in the garden.
You only need to use a tiny amount of salt.
Give —— Receive
Opposite words examples:
I’ve got some old diaries that my grandmother gave me years
ago.
All the children will receive a small gift.
Grow —— Shrink
Antonyms examples:
Sales of new cars grew by 10% last year.
We want to expand the business, not shrink it.
Guilty —— Innocent
I feel really guilty about forgetting her birthday again.
Nobody would believe that I was innocent.
8: OPPOSITES (H)
List of opposite words that start with H with examples.
Harmful —— Harmless
Scientists tend to agree that most diets don’t work and can
be harmful.
Her brother’s a bit simple, but he’s quite harmless.
Harsh —— Mild
The Canadian winter is very harsh.
We had an exceptionally mild winter last year.
He —— She
Opposite words examples:
It was he who first suggested the idea.
I saw you talking to that girl. Who is she?
Healthy —— Sick
I’ve always been perfectly healthy until now.
Maria can’t come in today because she’s sick.
Heaven —— Hell
Antonyms examples:
He believed that he and his wife would one day be together
again in heaven.
She must have gone through hell every day, the way we teased
her about her weight.
Here —— There
What are you doing here?
We could go back to my cottage and have lunch there.
Hero —— Coward
He had dared to speak out against injustice, and overnight he
became a national hero.
Perhaps I should have turned back but I didn’t want to be
known as a quitter and a coward.
High —— Low
Opposites examples:
The camp was surrounded by a high fence.
The sun was low in the sky.
Hungry —— Full
If you get hungry, there’s some cold chicken in the fridge.
I ate chocolate cakes so I was full.
Husband —— Wife
Mr. Nicholls was a good husband.
One year he arrived with a young lady, then came back when
she was his wife.
9: ANTONYMS LIST (I)
List of opposite words that start with I with examples.
Identical —— Different
The sisters were identical in appearance and character.
Her appearance and character are different.
Ignite —— Extinguish
The candle ignited the plastic.
Firemen were called to extinguish the blaze.
Ignorant —— Educated
Antonyms examples:
He’s ignorant about modern technology.
The boy came from a good home, was well educated and had
every advantage.
Important —— Unimportant
Happiness is more important than money.
The exact details are unimportant.
Important —— Trivial
Nothing could be more important to me than my family.
We were punished for the most trivial offences.
In —— Out
Antonyms examples:
He took us for a drive in his new car.
Charlotte went to the window and looked out.
Increase —— Decrease
The population increased dramatically in the first half of
the century.
The number of people who have the disease has decreased
significantly in recent years.
Inside —— Outside
Opposite words examples:
The jewels were locked away inside the safe.
I’ll meet you outside the theatre at two o’clock.
Instructor —— Pupil
I managed to find a very good driving instructor.
The new law reduces the number off pupils per class in the
first four years of schooling.
10: OPPOSITES WORDS (J)
List of opposites that start with J with examples.
Joy —— Grief
I leaped into the air with joy.
Charles was overcome with grief.
Junior —— Senior
Opposites examples:
She started work as a junior reporter on a local newspaper.
He’s a senior executive at Volkswagen.
Justice —— Injustice
Children have a strong sense of justice.
The movie deals with injustices suffered by Native Americans.
11: OPPOSITES | ANTONYMS (L)
List of opposite words that start with L with examples.
Landlord —— Tenant
The newspaper is negotiating with its landlord to reduce its
rent.
They had evicted their tenants for nonpayment of rent.
Large —— Small
Los Angeles is the second largest city in the US.
The Tshirt was too small for him.
Laugh —— Cry
I laugh at her ignorance.
She began to cry, no longer able to deny what she knew deep
down: she’d never get her life back.
Lawful —— Unlawful
Opposites examples:
The police may not interfere in lawful demonstrations
The jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing.
Lazy —— Diligent
He felt too lazy to get out of bed.
She is a diligent student.
Lazy —— Industrious
He felt too lazy to get out of bed.
Most of the students I knew at college were serious and
industrious.
Leave —— Stay
My baby gets upset when I leave the room.
I decided to stay home.
Legal —— Illegal
What the company has done is perfectly legal.
They were involved in illegal activities.
Lenient —— Strict
Antonyms examples:
School examiners say that marking has become more lenient in
recent years.
This company is very strict about punctuality.
Like —— Dislike
I don’t like it when you get angry.
I dislike being the centre of attention.
Live —— Die
We used to live in London.
Her husband died suddenly last week.
Lock —— Unlock
I can’t get this drawer to lock.
I unlocked the door of the apartment and found that my wife
was still awake.
Long —— Short
Antonyms examples:
He stretched out his long legs.
I’ve only been in Brisbane a short time.
Long —— Short
I haven’t been there for a long while.
I’ve only been in Brisbane a short time.
Loose —— Tight
I’m very uncomfortable in this loose shirt.
My shoes were so tight that I could hardly walk.
Loud —— Quiet
Opposites examples:
The music was so loud that I had to shout.
We’ll have to be quiet so as not to wake the baby.
Love —— Hate
Every mother loves her children.
She hates making mistakes.
Loyal —— Disloyal
The army has remained loyal to the government.
He felt he had been disloyal to his friends.
12: OPPOSITES | ANTONYMS EXAMPLES (M)
List of opposite words that start with M with examples.
Major —— Minor
There is a major problem with parking in London.
We have made some minor changes to the program.
Male —— Female
Opposites examples:
All the attackers were male, aged between 25 and 30.
Two of the candidates must be female.
Man —— Woman
He’s a very kind man.
When a woman is pregnant, the levels of hormones in her body
change.
Marry —— Divorce
No one wanted a dying girlfriend, especially when she’d flat
out refused to marry him.
She wants to divorce her husband.
Mature —— Immature
Antonyms examples:
Laura is very mature for her age.
He forgave his son’s immature behavior.
Maximum —— Minimum
The car has a maximum speed of 120 mph.
The minimum number of students we need to run the course is
fifteen.
Melt —— Freeze
It was warmer now, and the snow was beginning to melt.
The lake had frozen overnight.
Merry —— Sad
He marched off, whistling a merry tune.
Lilly felt sad that Christmas was over.
Miser —— Spendthrift
Opposites examples:
Everyone said Mr. Henny was a miser who had thousands of
pounds hidden under his bed.
She was by no means a spendthrift,
but somehow all the money disappeared anyway.
Most —— Least
She’s one of the most experienced teachers in the district.
He’s my least favorite member of staff.
13: OPPOSITES (N)
List of opposite words that start with N with examples.
Nadir —— Zenith
By 1932, the depression had reached its nadir.
The Roman Empire reached its zenith around the year 100.
Narrow —— Broad
Antonyms examples:
The stairs were very narrow.
The room is three meter long and two meter broad.
Nasty —— Nice
I went to school with him – he was nasty then and he’s nasty
now.
You look nice in that suit.
Nasty —— Pleasant
Drivers often have a nasty habit of driving too close to
cyclists.
The restaurant was large and pleasant.
Natural —— Artificial
My hair soon grew back to its natural color.
A job interview is a very artificial situation.
Near —— Far
Antonyms examples:
She told the children not to go near the canal.
It’s not far to the beach.
Near —— Distance
They moved house to be nearer the school.
The cottage is some distance from the road.
Neat —— Messy
His clothes were always neat and clean.
The place is so messy, I haven’t had time to clear up.
Negative —— Positive
My drinking was starting to have a negative effect on my
work.
She’s got a really positive attitude to life.
Nephew —— Niece
His nephew told him to take a walk, get lost in the crowd.
As they moved towards the next tee she nodded towards her
niece.
Night —— Day
Antonyms examples:
I didn’t sleep too well last night.
She only leaves her house during the day.
Noisy —— Quiet
Opposites examples:
The kids have been really noisy today.
I didn’t know anything about it so I just kept quiet.
Noisy —— Silent
The bar was very noisy.
She kept silent, forcing Buchanan to continue.
None —— Some
I wish I could offer you some cake but there’s none left.
Many local businesses are having difficulties, and some have
even gone bankrupt.
Noon/ Midday —— Midnight
We met at 12 noon (midday).
We stayed there until way after midnight.
North —— South
Opposites examples:
Cheshunt is a few miles to the north of London.
Gatwick airport is a few miles to the south of London.
Notice —— Ignore
He noticed a woman in a black dress sitting across from him.
You can’t ignore the fact that many criminals never go to
prison.
Now —— Then
Until now, doctors have been able to do very little to treat
this disease.
They’re sending out the results next week, so we won’t know
anything until then.
14: ANTONYMS (O)
List of opposite words that start with O with examples.
Obedient —— Disobedient
My son is an obedient child.
He is a pleasant child, but often rowdy, disobedient and
rough with others.
Old —— New
Some of the houses around here are very old.
They’ve just moved into their new home.
Old —— Young
Antonyms examples:
The old man lay propped up on cushions.
You’re too young to get married. young trees.
On —— Off
The TV’s on, but nobody seems to be watching it.
Will someone switch the radio off?
Open —— Shut
Opposites examples:
He opened the drawer of the desk.
Ellen shuts the window.
Opposite —— Same
I thought the medicine would make him sleep, but it had the
opposite effect.
They went to the same school.
Optimistic —— Pessimistic
Bankers are cautiously optimistic about the country’s
economic future.
He remains deeply pessimistic about the peace process.
Over —— Under
She leaned over the desk to answer the phone.
Wendy had hidden the box under her bed.
15: OPPOSITE WORDS (P)
List of opposites that start with P with examples.
Part —— Whole
Part of the building was destroyed in the fire.
The whole country mourned her death.
Pass —— Fail
Antonyms examples:
She passed with flying colors.
He has failed his driving test.
Patient —— Impatient
You’ll just have to be patient and wait till I’m off the
phone.
We are growing impatient with the lack of results.
Permanent —— Temporary
Opposites examples:
He gave up a permanent job in order to freelance.
You might want to consider temporary work until you decide
what you want to do.
Plentiful —— Scarce
During the summer tomatoes are plentiful and cheap.
Food was often scarce in the winter.
Plural —— Singular
‘Sheep’ remains the same in the plural.
The singular of ‘bacteria’ is ‘bacterium’.
Polite —— Rude
Opposites examples:
We left the party as soon as it was polite to do so.
I didn’t mean to be rude, but I had to leave early.
Polite —— Impolite
It’s not polite to talk with your mouth full.
It is impolite not to eat what you are served at a dinner
party.
Possible —— Impossible
Antonyms examples:
Computer technology makes it possible for many people to work
from home.
Members with young children often found it impossible to
attend evening meetings.
Poverty —— Wealth
We need an effective strategy to fight poverty.
The purpose of industry is to create wealth.
Poverty —— Riches
Millions of elderly people live in poverty.
He was enjoying his newfound riches.
Powerful —— Weak
He was one of the most powerful men in Bohemia.
The country is in a weak position economically.
Praise —— Criticism
Her teacher was full of praise for her work.
My main criticism of the scheme is that it does nothing to
help families on low incomes.
Pre —— Post
Opposites examples:
As usual, the government seems to have forgotten most of its
preelection promises.
Its share price rocketed from its postcrash low.
Predator —— Prey
Some animals have no natural predators.
The lion will often stalk its prey for hours.
Pretty —— Ugly
She still looks pretty miserable.
Nick’s dog is as ugly as sin.
Private —— Public
There is private ownership of property in a market economy.
We do not believe he is fit for public office.
Prudent —— Imprudent
Antonyms examples:
It might be prudent to get a virus detector for the network.
The banks made hundreds of imprudent
loans in the 1970s.
Pure —— Impure
Our beef patties are 100% pure.
Some of these drugs are highly impure.
Push —— Pull
Opposites examples:
I promised to push him on the swings for as long as he
wanted.
She pulled open the door and hurried inside.
Put on —— Take off
He took off his uniform and put on a sweater and trousers.
Charlie was taking off his shirt when the phone rang.
16: OPPOSITES | ANTONYMS (R)
List of opposite words that start with R with examples.
Rapid —— Slow
The patient made a rapid recovery.
The car was travelling at a very slow speed.
Rare —— Common
It is very rare for her to miss a day at school.
Bad dreams are fairly common among children.
Real —— Fake
She had never seen a real live elephant before.
He is a fake designer clothing.
Regular —— Irregular
Antonyms examples:
The company holds regular meetings with employees.
He’s receiving medication for an irregular heartbeat.
Relevant —— Irrelevant
We received all the relevant information.
We’re focusing too much on irrelevant details.
Rich —— Poor
Nobody gets rich from writing nowadays.
They were too poor to buy shoes for the kids.
Right —— Left
Antonyms examples:
He had a knife in his right hand.
She held out her left hand.
Right —— Wrong
I think you’re right. We should have set out earlier.
Your calculations must be wrong.
Risky —— Safe
Doctors say it’s too risky to try and operate.
I think it’s safe to say that the future is looking pretty
good.
Rude —— Courteous
I didn’t mean to be rude, but I had to leave early.
The staffs are always courteous and helpful.
17: OPPOSITES (S)
List of opposite words that start with S with examples.
Sad —— Happy
I was sad about the friends I was leaving behind.
He was a happy child who rarely cried.
Safe —— Dangerous
Opposites examples:
Flying is one of the safest forms of travel.
The business is in a dangerous financial position.
Satisfied —— Dissatisfied
They have plenty of satisfied customers.
If you are dissatisfied with this product, please return it.
Secondhand —— New
I know where he bought a secondhand bicycle.
I got a used video camera for £300 – it would have cost
£1,000 if I’d bought it new.
Secure —— Insecure
Antonyms examples:
We want a secure future for our children.
She felt lonely and insecure away from her family.
Seller —— Buyer
They are hidden because such taxes are typically shifted by
sellers to consumers through higher product prices.
We couldn’t find a buyer for our house, so we weren’t able to
move after all.
Servant —— Master
His servant hastened to make all ready, build fires and heat
water for the baths and prepare food.
Bill Ritchie is now the master of these techniques, by the
learnt them originally from Lawrence.
Shout —— Whisper
The men on the wall lowered their weapons at her shout, and
the remaining pursuer tackled her.
He wanted to hear her whisper his name after they made love
and flutter soft kisses with her full lips across his face, the way she had the
other night.
Simple —— Hard
Modern cameras are very simple to use.
You’ll have to make some hard decisions.
Single —— Married
The changes in tax rates will benefit single people the most.
Married men earn 70 percent more than single men.
Sit —— Stand
Why don’t you sit down and rest and I’ll bring you a piece of
pie.
I stand there and can’t do anything!
Slave —— Master
Opposites examples:
These areas need developing, so entrepreneurs pump in
investment: capital accumulated from the slave trade, sugar and cotton.
Later that evening Heathcliff’s servant Joseph arrived and
asked to speak to the master.
Sleep —— Wake up
I usually sleep on my back.
James usually wakes up early.
Small —— Big
The Tshirt was too small for him.
The garage isn’t big enough for two cars.
Smart —— Stupid
Antonyms examples:
The smart kids get good grades and go off to college.
I can’t believe Kate was stupid enough to get involved in
this.
Smooth —— Rough
Her skin felt smooth and cool.
Her hands were rough from hard work.
Sour —— Sweet
The milk’s turned sour.
The tea is too sweet.
Sow —— Reap
The fields around had been sown with wheat.
Several predicted that they will be rape higher yields and
profits while saving the soil.
Speed up —— Slow down
The truck speeded up going down the hill.
Growth in sales has slowed down.
Spend —— Save
Mum never spends any money on herself.
He managed to save enough to buy a small house.
Start —— Finish
Opposites examples:
There’s so much to do I don’t know where to start.
You can’t go anywhere until you’ve finished your homework.
Stop —— Go
I was worried that the security guards would stop us at the
gate.
Dinah went into the kitchen.
Straight —— Crooked
Antonyms examples:
She was looking straight at me.
His lips curled into a crooked smile.
Strengthen —— Weaken
The team has been strengthened by the arrival of two new
players.
Changes in policy have weakened the power of the trade
unions.
Stress —— Relax
My headaches are caused by stress.
A hot bath should help to relax you.
Strict —— Lenient
This company is very strict about punctuality.
School examiners say that marking has become more lenient in
recent years.
Strong —— Weak
He picked her up in his big strong arms.
She’s too weak to feed herself.
Success —— Failure
Opposites examples:
The experiment was a big success.
I always felt a bit of a failure at school.
Sunny —— Cloudy
I hope it will be sunny tomorrow.
Tomorrow, it will be cloudy and cool.
Synonym —— Antonym
“Shut”’ is a synonym of “closed”.
“Old” has two possible antonyms. They are “young” and “new”.
18: OPPOSITES | ANTONYMS LIST (T)
List of opposite words that start with T with examples.
Tall —— Short
She’s a little taller than her sister.
He’s a bit shorter than me.
Tame —— Wild
The bird became so tame that it was impossible to release it
back into the wild.
In my opinion, wild animals should not be kept in zoos.
Teach —— Learn
Antonyms examples:
He teaches geography at the local secondary school.
I learnt to drive when I was 17.
Terrible —— Wonderful
Their son had been injured in a terrible accident.
We had a wonderful time in Spain.
Thick —— Thin
He was wearing thick glasses.
She’s only wearing a thin summer jacket.
Throw —— Catch
He threw his shirt to someone in the crowd.
Stephen leapt up and caught the ball in one hand.
Tie —— Untie
I kept all his letters tied together with a ribbon.
Peter untied his shoelaces.
Tolerant —— Intolerant
Antonyms examples:
My parents were tolerant of my choice of music.
A number of patients were intolerant of the diet.
Tough —— Easy
The reporters were asking a lot of tough questions.
It would have been easy for the team to lose the game.
Tough —— Tender
The meat was tough and hard to chew.
Continue cooking until the meat is tender.
Transparent —— Opaque
The insect’s wings are almost transparent.
The windows are opaque, and the curtains you can see on the
second floor are light gray.
Trap —— Release
Antonyms examples:
The police trapped the terrorists at a roadblock.
They released ten political prisoners last year.
True —— False
Opposites examples:
Students decide if statements are true or false.
Please decide whether the following statements are true or
false.
19: OPPOSITES (U)
List of opposite words that start with U with examples.
Understand —— Misunderstand
I could understand what the woman was saying.
I completely misunderstand her intentions.
Unqualified —— Qualified
He was unqualified for the job.
Dawn is well qualified for her new role.
Unsafe —— Safe
Many people feel unsafe walking alone at night.
She feels safe in the house on her own.
Up —— Down
We walked slowly up the hill.
Tears were streaming down my face.
Upstairs —— Downstairs
Antonyms examples:
I went upstairs and had a shower.
Charles was downstairs in the kitchen.
Useful —— Useless
A little Japanese can be really useful.
The doctor concluded that further treatment would be useless.
20: ANTONYMS (V)
List of opposite words that start with V with examples.
Vacant —— Occupied
Only a few apartments were still vacant.
Only half of the rooms are occupied at the moment.
Vague —— Definite
The governor gave only a vague outline of his tax plan.
It’s impossible for me to give you a definite answer.
Vanish —— Appear
Antonyms examples:
Public support for the prime minister has now vanished.
She didn’t appear at all surprised at the news.
Vast —— Tiny
The government will have to borrow vast amounts of money.
She always felt a tiny bit sad.
Vertical —— Horizontal
There was a vertical drop to the ocean.
I was so tired, I just wanted to be horizontal.
Victory —— Defeat
She is confident of victory in Saturday’s final.
The world champion has only had two defeats in 20 fights.
Virtue —— Vice
Antonyms examples:
Among her many virtues are loyalty, courage, and
truthfulness.
Jealousy is a vice.
Visible —— Invisible
The outline of the mountains was clearly visible.
The house was surrounded by trees, and invisible from the
road.
21: OPPOSITES LIST | ANTONYMS EXAMPLES (W-Y)
List of opposite words that start with W-Y with examples.
War —— Peace
No one wants to start a trade war here.
The country is at peace with its neighbors for the first time
in years.
Wide —— Narrow
The boat was nearly as wide as the canal.
This is a long narrow road.
Win —— Lose
Antonyms examples:
I think you will win the next election.
They played so badly they deserved to lose.
Within —— Outside
Prisoners who died were buried within the walls of the
prison.
It’s outside my experience, I’m afraid.
Yes —— No
“Would you like a sandwich?”
“Yes, please.”
“Could you help me write this?”
“No, sorry, I haven’t got time at the moment.”
COMMON OPPOSITE ADJECTIVES
WITH PICTURES AND EXAMPLES
Slow – Fast
– The car was travelling at a very slow speed.
– He’s one of the fastest runners in the world.
Thick – Thin
– He was wearing thick glasses.
– She’s only wearing a thin summer jacket.
Straight – Curly
– Terry has a long, straight black hair.
– She was young, with a round face and brown curly
hair.
Light – Heavy
– You can carry this bag – it’s fairly light.
– The wardrobe was too heavy for me to move on my own.
Loose – Tight
– I’m very uncomfortable in this loose shirt.
– My shoes were so tight that I could hardly walk.
Beautiful – Ugly
– The bride looked beautiful in that dress.
– He was short, near-sighted, ugly and exceptionally
awkward.
Big – Small
– The garage isn’t big enough for two cars.
– The T-shirt was too small for him.
Strong – Weak
– He picked her up in his big strong arms.
– She’s too weak to feed herself.
Healthy – Sick
– I’ve always been perfectly healthy until now.
– Maria can’t come in today because she’s sick.
Low – High
– The sun was low in the sky.
– The camp was surrounded by a high fence.
Poor – Wealthy
– Her family were so poor they couldn’t afford to buy
her new clothes.
– He left as a poor, working class boy and returned as a wealthy
man.
Short – Tall
– He’s a bit shorter than me.
– She’s a little taller than her sister.
Thin – Fat
– He was tall and thin, with short brown hair.
– You’ll get fat if you eat all that chocolate.
Insane – Sane
– The whole idea sounds absolutely insane to me.
– He seems perfectly sane to me.
Bad – Good
– I have some bad news for you.
– The train service is not very good.
Straight – Crooked
– She was looking straight at me.
– His lips curled into a crooked smile.
Deep – Shallow
– The castle is on an island surrounded by a deep
lake.
– The lake is quite shallow.
Dark – Light
– The church was dark and quiet.
– The kitchen was light and spacious.
Lazy – Hard-working
– He felt too lazy to get out of bed.
– She is a hard-working teacher.
Brave – Cowardly
– It was brave of you to speak in front of all those
people.
– He was very cowardly because he did not tell that
truth.
Cheap – Expensive
– Property is cheaper in Spain than here.
– Petrol is becoming more and more expensive.
Distant – Near
– Stars are distant from our galaxy.
– She told the children not to go near the canal.
Modern – Ancient
– They are the youngest children in modern times to
face murder charges.
– So according to history it has been found from the most ancient
times, and so it is to our own day.
Delicious – Awful
– The pear is a delicious fruit and I like it very
much.
– There’s an awful smell in here.
Wide – Narrow
– The boat was nearly as wide as the canal.
– This is a long narrow road.
Talkative – Taciturn
– He’s a talkative guy, and I struck up a conversation
with him.
– He’s a reserved, taciturn person.
Healthy – Sick
– I’ve always been perfectly healthy until now.
– Maria can’t come in today because she’s sick.
Careful – Careless
– Could you be more careful in future?
– He was very careless in his work
Pessimistic – Optimistic
– He remains deeply pessimistic about the peace
process.
– Bankers are cautiously optimistic about the
country’s economic future.
Tidy – Messy
– His clothes were always tidy and clean.
– The place is so messy, I haven’t had time to clear
up.
Patient – Impatient
– You’ll just have to be patient and wait till I’m off
the phone.
– We are growing impatient with the lack of results.
Friendly – Unfriendly
– She has such a kind, friendly personality.
– She was really unfriendly to me.
Cold – Hot
– Let’s get in out of this cold wind.
– In dry gourds, they were served a hot tea made from
the ground leaves of something Bordeaux called the lip fern.
Dishonest – Honest
– The dishonest manager was cashiered at last.
– He is wise that is honest.
Happy – Unhappy
– He alone is happy who commands his passions.
– I hate to see you unhappy.
Selfish – Generous
– I call his behaviour mean and selfish.
– He is very generous — he often buys things for other
people.
Hello, my name is Saren Chem. I'm a 40 years. I have been a teacher of English for nearly twenty years. Through my teaching, I discover that most of my students do not understand well about my English lesson because the time for them to study is very short. That is why I create this website for them to study more by themselves when they are free from school.
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