One Word Substitutions

Antonyms

Antonyms are words that mean the opposite or nearly the opposite of each other for one meaning. Both synonyms and antonyms are often used in tests and language drills.

Below is a list of common antonyms. Please refer to district adopted materials for words specific to each grade level.

above – below absent – present accident – intent accomplishment – failure achieve – fail add – subtract adjacent – distant admire – detest admit – reject adore – hate advance – retreat affirm – deny afraid – confident after – before aid – hinder alarm – comfort alert – asleep alive – dead allow – forbid alone – together amateur – professional amuse – bore ancient – modern annoy – soothe answer – question apparent – obscure argue – agree arrive – depart arrogant – humble ascend – descend attack – defend attract – repel awake – asleep awkward – graceful

back – front bad – good bare – covered beautiful – ugly before – after bent – straight better – worse big – little birth – death bitter – sweet black – white blunt – sharp body – soul bold – timid bottom – top brave – cowardly break – repair brief – long bright – dull bring – remove boy – girl busy – idle buy – sell

capture – release cause – effect cautious – careless center – edge change – remain cheap – expensive child – adult chilly – warm clean – dirty close – open cold – hot command – obey complex – simple compliment – insult constant – variable continue – interrupt cool – warm copy – original countrymen – foreigner crazy – sane crooked – straight cruel – kind cry – laugh curse – bless

damage – improve dark – light dawn – sunset day – night deep – shallow destroy – create difficult – easy dim – bright divide – unite doubt – trust drunk – sober dull – sharp dumb – smart

earth – sky east – west easy – hard elementary – advanced end – begin even – odd evening – morning evil – good exceptional – common expand – shrink

fail – pass failure – success false – true famous – unknown fancy – plain fast – slow fat – thin