Antonyms

Antonyms are pairs or groups of words that are notionally opposite

in meaning, such as night/day, boy/girl, long/short, hot/cold,
etc.
1. Gradable (large/small, hot/cold, delicious/disgusting)

Gradable pairs are antonyms which allow for a natural, gradual

transition between two poles: good/bad, hot/ cold . It is possible to
be a little cold or very cold, etc.

Gradable antonyms are typically pairs of adjectives that can be

qualified by adverbs such as very, quite, extremely, etc. So for
example, we can say the tickets were expensive or the tickets were
cheap. However, as expensive and cheap are gradable antonyms,
we can also qualify how expensive or cheap they were:

The tickets were surprisingly expensive. The tickets were very

expensive. The tickets were quite expensive.

The tickets were incredibly cheap. The tickets were rather cheap. The
tickets were undeniably cheap.

Gradable antonyms include pairs like the following:

beautiful - ugly
expensive - cheap
fast - slow
hot - cold
increase - decrease
long - short
love - hate
rich - poor
sweet - sour
wide- narrow
These pairs are called gradable antonyms because they do not
represent an either-or relation but rather a more-less relation. The
words can be viewed as terms at the end-points of a continuum or
gradient. The more/less relation is evident in a number of ways: the
terms allow comparison, e.g. 'My arm is longer/shorter than yours,'
'I love a good book more than a good meal'; the adjectives can be
modified by 'intensifying' adverbs, e.g. very long, extremely hot,
extraordinarily beautiful."
Further examples of gradable antonyms are:

 friendly/unfriendly
 hot/cold
 wet/dry
 interesting/boring
 bright/dull
 modern/old-fashioned
 bland/delicious

2. Complementary/Binary (black/white, boy/girl, alive/dead)

Complementary pairs are antonyms in which the presence of one

quality or state signifies the absence of the other and vice
versa. single/ married, not pregnant/pregnant There are no
intermediate states. (Joking aside, you can't really be "a little
pregnant" or "kinda married.")

Complementary/Binary antonyms are pairs of words that are

opposite in meaning, cannot be graded and are mutually exclusive.
That is, they can exist independently of each other. For example,
there might be a daughter in a family but not the complementary
opposite of a son, as girls can exist without their complementary
opposite of boys.

Complementary antonyms are another subtype of antonymy: if you

are one, you cannot be the other; these are 'absolute' opposites. That
is, if you are dead, you cannot also be alive; if you are asleep, you are
not awake, and so on. Similar pairs of this sort include legal/illegal
and beginning/end."

Further examples of complementary opposites are:

 push/pull
 right/wrong
 yes/no
 exit/entrance
 treat/punishment
 silence/noise
 lift/drop

3. Converse /Relational (teacher/student, doctor/patient,

defence/prosecution)
Relational opposites are antonyms which share the same semantic
features, only the focus, or direction, is reversed: tie/untie,
buy/sell, give/receive, teacher/pupil, father/son.

Converse antonyms are pairs of opposites where one cannot exist

without the other. For example to have a husband, you must have a
wife. Therefore, husband and wife are converse antonyms.

Converse or Relational Antonyms

"The pairs above:below, before:after, precede:follow, buy:sell, and
lend:borrow exemplify this category. Converses are sometimes
called relational opposites. They all express relationships between
two (or more) people or things. . . . Take, for instance, buy and sell:
Brian sold the car to Michael and Michael bought the car from Brian
both indicate that a particular transaction has taken place. But the
first sentence highlights Brian's role in the proceedings, while the
second focuses on Michael."

Further examples of converse antonyms are:

  borrow/lend
 parent/child
 above/below
 night/day
 policeman/criminal
 husband/wife
 plug/socket

4. Multiple Taxonomies/Incompatibles (Mon-Tue-Wed-Thu-Fri-Sat-

Sun)

Multiple taxonomies / incompatibles are groups or fields of words

such as days of the week, months of the year, etc., that comprise a
fixed system. As such, they are distinct from the pairs of opposites
described above as they feature three of more items in the system.

Further examples include:

 fail/pass/merit/distinction
 spring/summer/autumn/winter
 spades/hearts/diamonds/clubs
 north/south/east/west
 solid/liquid/gas