18 Antonyms and Synonyms

An antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word. For instance the
antonym of 'inside' may be 'outside'. The root words for the word 'antonym' are the
words 'anti", meaning 'against' or 'opposite', and 'onym", meaning 'name'.
Below given is a list of common antonyms.
Word Antonym Word Antonym
absence presence beginning ending
accurate inaccurate below above
advantage disadvantage better Worse

approached receded build destroy

asleep awake clear vague
arrival departure careful careless
abundant Scarce calm troubled
accept refuse capable incapable
advance retire clockwise anti-clockwise
alive dead captivity freedom
always never cheap expensive
ancient modern close distant
answer question dainty clumsy
admit deny danger safety
artificial natural dark light
ascend descend deep shallow
attack defence decrease increase
attractive repulsive definite indefinite
bad good despair hope
backward forward dusk dawn
bend straighten dismal cheerful
blunt sharp demand supply
borrow lend disappear appear
broad narroW dry wet

bravery cowardice early late

beautiful ugly easy difficult
economise waste guardian ward
encourage discourage guest host
entrance exit guilty innocent
end beginning happy sad
employer employee hard soft
empty full harmful harmless
expensive inexpensive hate love
expand contract intelligent stupid
export import inhale exhale
exterior interior join separate
external internal knowledge ignorance
fail Succeed lawful illegal
famous unknown parent child
fast slow past present
find lose rich poor
generous mean top bottom
gentle rough up down
gather distribute vacant occupied
gloomy cheerful valuable valueless
giant dwarf wax wane

great minute, little within without

Words that have similar meaning are known as synonyms. These are the words that can
be used interchangeably, but the meaning of themessage remains the same.
Below given is a list of similar or synonymous words:
Word Synonym Synonym
able capable competent
abrupt sudden hasty
achieve accomplish attain
adversity difficulty misfortune
aggravate annoy infuriate
after following behind
aim purpose goal
answer response reply
back rear behind

82 Glittering English Grammar-5

bear tolerate suffer
bias inclination predisposition
begin start initiate
below under beneath
brave courageous daring
busy occupied engaged
call shout yell
calm composed peaceful
circumvent to avoid to go around
careful cautious prudent
danger hazard risk
decrease reduce Cut
different varied diverse
dwell live reside
decent honourable pure
end finish complete
energy power strength
fat pulp chubby
find locate discover
gift present offering
give provide offer
hate disgust dislike
heal mend Cure
ill sick unwell
job work OCcupation
just now immediate
keep hold retain
large big huge
long lengthy extended
mad crazy insane
made build Construct
method way manner

need want require

OCcur happen arise
pain ache hurt
primary chief main
revise review re-exanmine

Glittering English Grammar-5 83

 BXERG0SETIME
A. Write the correct antonym next to each word from the box given below:
sweet depth accidental pupil slow consonant wide reap
West stale soft borrower patient curse

1. vowel 2 height
3. rapid 4 fresh
5. narrow 6. teacher
7. soW 8. bitter
9 bless 10. intentional
11. loud 12. lender
13. East 14. doctor
B Match the following with their antonyms:
1. wisdom nonsense

2. lazy b student
3 minority C. folly
4 sense d. energetic
5. victory e. majority
6. lecturer f. defeat
C. Write the correct synonyms next to each word from the box given below:
forbid occupation way correct tale Earth murder fresh ache endure
1. world 2. story
3. right 4 prohibit
5. pain 6 new
7. method 8 last
9. kill 10. job
D Match the following words with their synonyms:
1. junk revive
keep b. skinny
3 angry C. rubbish
4. pardon annoyed
5. renew e. forgive
6. thin f. hold