500+ A-Z Daily Used English Words with Opposites • Englishilm

Building a strong vocabulary is essential for English learners. Learning words with their opposites (antonyms) helps improve communication skills and deepens your understanding of the language. In this article, we present important and commonly used words along with their opposites, organized alphabetically from A to Z. Mastering these words and their antonyms will enable you to express ideas more clearly and precisely in both spoken and written English.

The PDF book of this lesson is attached at the bottom of this page. You can download it for free.

What are Opposite Words?

Opposite words (also called antonyms) are pairs of words that have completely different meanings. Learning opposite words helps in improving vocabulary, understanding sentence structure, and enhancing communication skills.

Examples of opposite words:

Big → Small
Fast → Slow
Happy → Sad
Hot → Cold
Strong → Weak

Why Learn Opposite Words in English?

Learning opposite words, or antonyms, helps you grow your vocabulary, making your speech and writing clearer. It also improves your understanding of language and boosts creativity when forming sentences. Knowing antonyms makes learning English easier and more effective.

500+ Examples of Opposite Words

In this section, you will learn the 500+ important and commonly used words along with their opposites, organized alphabetically from A to Z. All are given below; let’s learn…

A – Words with Opposites

Absent – Present

The teacher marked him absent today.
She was present at the meeting.

Accept – Reject

I accept your invitation.
He rejected my offer.

Active – Lazy

She is very active in sports.
He is lazy and does not work.

Add – Subtract

Please add sugar to my tea.
You should subtract 10 from 50.

Admit – Deny

He admitted his mistake.
She denied taking the money.

Advance – Retreat

The army advanced toward the enemy.
The soldiers had to retreat due to heavy firing.

Advantage – Disadvantage

Learning English is an advantage.
Not knowing English is a disadvantage.

Agree – Disagree

I agree with your opinion.
He disagrees with my idea.

Allow – Forbid

My parents allow me to go out.
The school forbids using mobile phones.

Always – Never

She always arrives on time.
He never listens to advice.

Ancient – Modern

This is an ancient building.
They live in a modern house.

Answer – Question

He gave the correct answer.
The teacher asked a question.

Appear – Disappear

The sun appears in the morning.
The magician made the coin disappear.

Approve – Disapprove

My parents approved my decision.
The manager disapproved of my request.

Arrive – Depart

The train will arrive soon.
The plane will depart at 5 PM.

Artificial – Natural

These flowers are artificial.
We should eat natural food.

Asleep – Awake

The baby is asleep now.
I was awake all night.

Attack – Defend

The soldiers attacked the enemy.
They tried to defend their country.

Attract – Repel

Flowers attract bees.
Bad smells repel people.

Authentic – Fake

This is an authentic document.
He showed a fake ID card.

Avoid – Confront

He avoids talking to strangers.
She confronted her fears.

Abundant – Scarce

Water is abundant in this area.
Food was scarce during the war.

Allowable – Prohibited

Smoking is not allowable here.
Drinking alcohol is prohibited in some places.

Amuse – Bore

The clown amused the children.
The lecture bored the students.

Ashamed – Proud

He felt ashamed of his mistake.
She was proud of her achievement.

Ally – Enemy

They became allies in the war.
He considered him an enemy.

B – Words with Opposites

Beautiful – Ugly

The garden looks beautiful.
The old building looks ugly.

Begin – End

Let’s begin the test.
The show will end soon.

Big – Small

He has a big house.
She has a small bag.

Bold – Timid

The bold girl spoke clearly.
The timid boy stayed silent.

Brave – Cowardly

The brave firefighter saved a cat.
The cowardly man ran away.

Bright – Dull

The sun is very bright.
The knife is too dull.

Broad – Narrow

This road is broad.
The bridge is narrow.

Busy – Idle

My mother is always busy.
He sat idle all day.

Buy – Sell

I want to buy a book.
She wants to sell her car.

Backward – Forward

He stepped backward.
Move forward, please.

Benefit – Harm

Reading is a benefit to students.
Smoking can harm your lungs.

Better – Worse

She feels better now.
The weather is getting worse.

Blame – Praise

Don’t blame her for the mistake.
The teacher praised his good work.

Bless – Curse

May God bless you.
The witch cursed the town.

Bottom – Top

The shoes are at the bottom.
The clock is on top of the shelf.

Borrow – Lend

Can I borrow your pen?
I will lend you some money.

Bitter – Sweet

This medicine is bitter.
The mango is sweet.

Black – White

He wore a black suit.
She has a white dress.

Build – Destroy

They built a school.
The storm destroyed the house.

Believe – Doubt

I believe in you.
He doubts my story.

Bend – Straighten

Bend your knees.
Straighten your back.

Brighten – Darken

The lamp brightened the room.
The sky darkened before the storm.

Break – Fix

Don’t break the glass.
He will fix the bike.

Bring – Take

Please bring me some tea.
Take this bag to school.

Brisk – Sluggish

She took a brisk walk.
His steps were sluggish.

Busy – Free

I am busy right now.
She is free tomorrow.

C – Words with Opposites

Careful – Careless

She is careful while crossing the road.
He made a careless mistake.

Clever – Stupid

The clever boy solved the puzzle quickly.
It was a stupid mistake.

Close – Open

Please close the door.
She opened the window.

Cold – Hot

The water is cold.
The tea is hot.

Clean – Dirty

Keep your room clean.
His hands are dirty.

Create – Destroy

She loves to create paintings.
The storm destroyed the house.

Cheap – Expensive

This bag is cheap.
That watch is expensive.

Clear – Cloudy

The sky is clear today.
It is a cloudy morning.

Come – Go

Please come inside.
I have to go now.

Calm – Noisy

The sea looks calm.
The classroom is very noisy.

Comfort – Discomfort

This chair gives great comfort.
His shoes caused discomfort.

Correct – Incorrect

Your answer is correct.
His spelling is incorrect.

Cruel – Kind

The king was cruel.
She is a kind lady.

Curly – Straight

She has curly hair.
His hair is straight.

Continue – Stop

Let’s continue our work.
Please stop talking.

Catch – Release

He caught the ball.
They released the bird.

Common – Rare

Apples are common fruits.
Blue diamonds are rare.

Conceal – Reveal

He tried to conceal the truth.
She revealed the secret.

Cool – Warm

The weather is cool today.
The soup is warm.

Compulsory – Optional

Uniforms are compulsory at school.
Homework is optional today.

Care – Neglect

She takes care of her pet.
He neglected his health.

Charming – Repulsive

She has a charming smile.
The bad smell was repulsive.

Cheap – Costly

This dress is cheap.
That necklace is costly.

Change – Remain

The weather will change soon.
He remained silent.

Crowded – Empty

The bus was crowded.
The park was empty.

Confident – Shy

She is a confident speaker.
He is too shy to talk.

D – Words with Opposites

Dark – Light

The room is dark at night.
Turn on the lamp to make it light.

Deep – Shallow

The river is very deep.
This pool is shallow.

Difficult – Easy

The test was difficult.
This question is easy.

Dirty – Clean

His shoes are dirty.
She keeps her hands clean.

Dry – Wet

The clothes are dry now.
The ground is wet after rain.

Dull – Sharp

This knife is dull.
Be careful, the blade is sharp.

Down – Up

The ball rolled down the hill.
He climbed up the stairs.

Dangerous – Safe

That road is dangerous.
This place is safe for kids.

Defeat – Victory

The team faced defeat in the match.
They celebrated their victory.

Decrease – Increase

The price will decrease next month.
His salary will increase soon.

Depart – Arrive

The train will depart at 5 PM.
They will arrive at 6 PM.

Discourage – Encourage

His words discouraged me.
She encouraged him to try again.

Dislike – Like

I dislike spicy food.
She likes ice cream.

Different – Same

Their ideas are different.
We have the same opinion.

Divide – Unite

The river divides the village.
They will unite to solve the problem.

Day – Night

The sun shines during the day.
The stars shine at night.

Demand – Supply

The demand for fresh fruits is high.
The factory will supply more goods.

Deny – Admit

He denied stealing the money.
She admitted her mistake.

Dead – Alive

The plant is dead.
The fish is still alive.

Delay – Hurry

The flight was delayed.
Please hurry, we are late.

Despair – Hope

He was in despair after failing.
Never lose hope in life.

Destroy – Build

The storm destroyed the house.
They will build a new one.

Descend – Ascend

The plane started to descend.
The climbers will ascend the mountain.

Disorder – Order

The books are in disorder.
She arranged them in order.

Disadvantage – Advantage

Lack of experience is a disadvantage.
Hard work is an advantage.

Disagree – Agree

I disagree with his opinion.
They agree on the plan.

E – Words with Opposites

Early – Late

She arrived early for the meeting.
He was late to school.

Easy – Difficult

This question is easy.
The puzzle is difficult.

Empty – Full

The glass is empty.
The bottle is full.

Enter – Exit

Please enter the room quietly.
We will exit after the show.

Even – Odd

Four is an even number.
Five is an odd number.

Evil – Good

The villain was evil.
The hero was good.

Excited – Bored

She is excited about the trip.
He looks bored in class.

Expand – Shrink

The balloon will expand when you blow air.
The sweater shrinks after washing.

Expensive – Cheap

This phone is expensive.
That bag is cheap.

End – Begin

The movie will end soon.
Let’s begin the lesson.

Encourage – Discourage

She encouraged him to study harder.
His words discouraged me.

Expose – Cover

The rain exposed the weak roof.
She covered her head with a scarf.

Extreme – Moderate

The heat is extreme in summer.
The weather is moderate today.

Enjoy – Hate

I enjoy playing football.
He hates doing homework.

Exist – Vanish

Dinosaurs no longer exist.
The magician made the rabbit vanish.

External – Internal

The building has external lights.
She suffered from internal pain.

Exclude – Include

They excluded him from the game.
Please include my name on the list.

Excuse – Blame

She made an excuse for being late.
The teacher blamed him for the mistake.

Enhance – Reduce

The new software will enhance performance.
The company wants to reduce costs.

Exact – Approximate

This is the exact price.
He gave an approximate answer.

Earn – Spend

He works hard to earn money.
She spends all her savings.

Efficient – Inefficient

This machine is very efficient.
The old system was inefficient.

Equal – Unequal

They received equal shares.
The wealth distribution is unequal.

Easygoing – Strict

He is an easygoing teacher.
My father is very strict.

Elderly – Young

The elderly need special care.
The young are full of energy.

Expand – Contract

The company plans to expand its business.
Metals contract in cold weather.

F – Words with Opposites

Fast – Slow

The car is very fast.
The turtle moves slowly.

Full – Empty

The bottle is full of water.
The glass is empty.

Fat – Thin

The cat is fat.
She is thin and active.

Fair – Unfair

The judge made a fair decision.
The rules were unfair.

Famous – Unknown

He is a famous actor.
The writer is unknown to many.

False – True

That statement is false.
The answer is true.

Fancy – Plain

She wore a fancy dress.
The table looks plain.

Far – Near

His house is far from here.
The school is near my home.

Fear – Courage

He felt fear before the speech.
She showed great courage.

Friend – Enemy

He is my best friend.
They treated him like an enemy.

Fresh – Stale

This bread is fresh.
The cake has become stale.

Freedom – Slavery

We all value our freedom.
Many people suffered under slavery.

Fix – Break

He will fix the broken chair.
Don’t break the toy.

Forgive – Blame

She decided to forgive him.
They blamed him for the mistake.

Forget – Remember

I forgot his name.
She always remembers her childhood.

Foreign – Native

He speaks a foreign language.
She is a native speaker of English.

Find – Lose

I need to find my keys.
He lost his wallet.

Follow – Lead

The students follow the teacher.
The captain leads the team.

Fact – Fiction

This book is based on fact.
The story is pure fiction.

Float – Sink

Wood can float on water.
A stone will sink.

Flexible – Stiff

This rubber band is flexible.
His legs feel stiff after exercise.

Foolish – Wise

That was a foolish mistake.
He gave a wise answer.

Few – Many

I have few books.
She owns many dresses.

Fertile – Barren

This land is fertile.
The desert is barren.

Fearless – Fearful

The soldier was fearless in battle.
The child was fearful of the dark.

Fortunate – Unfortunate

She was fortunate to get the job.
It was an unfortunate accident.

G – Words with Opposites

Good – Bad

She is a good student.
His behavior was bad.

Give – Take

Please give me the book.
He took the pen from the table.

Guilty – Innocent

The man was found guilty.
The boy is innocent.

Generous – Stingy

She is very generous with her money.
He is too stingy to share.

Genuine – Fake

This is a genuine diamond.
His smile seemed fake.

Gentle – Rough

She has a gentle touch.
The sea was rough today.

Gradual – Sudden

The change was gradual.
The storm came suddenly.

Gain – Lose

He wants to gain more knowledge.
She lost her keys.

Giant – Tiny

The elephant is a giant animal.
The ant is tiny.

Glad – Sad

She was glad to see her friend.
He felt sad after the exam.

Go – Stop

The car can go now.
Please stop at the red light.

Gather – Scatter

They gathered the papers.
The wind scattered the leaves.

Growth – Decline

The company showed great growth.
There was a decline in sales.

Guide – Mislead

A good teacher guides students.
The wrong map misled us.

Generous – Greedy

He is generous and shares his food.
The man is too greedy.

Grateful – Ungrateful

She is grateful for the help.
He is ungrateful to his parents.

Great – Small

The king did great things.
His house is small.

Graceful – Clumsy

The dancer was very graceful.
He is too clumsy to handle glass.

Glory – Shame

The team won in glory.
He felt shame for his mistake.

Give – Withhold

Please give me your opinion.
The judge withheld the truth.

Glow – Dim

The lamp glows in the dark.
The candlelight started to dim.

Grand – Ordinary

They had a grand wedding.
His clothes were very ordinary.

Guess – Know

Can you guess the answer?
I already know it.

Gorgeous – Ugly

She looked gorgeous in that dress.
The old house looked ugly.

Gainful – Unprofitable

This is a gainful investment.
The business became unprofitable.

Gladness – Sorrow

The news brought gladness to her.
His heart was full of sorrow.

H – Words with Opposites

Happy – Sad

She felt happy on her birthday.
He was sad after losing the game.

Hard – Soft

The rock is hard.
The pillow is soft.

Heavy – Light

This box is heavy.
The bag is light.

High – Low

The plane is flying high.
The sun is low in the sky.

Hope – Despair

We should never lose hope.
He was in despair after failing.

Healthy – Sick

She eats fruits to stay healthy.
He was sick last week.

Hero – Villain

The hero saved the town.
The villain planned to destroy it.

Hot – Cold

The tea is hot.
The water is cold.

Humid – Dry

The air is humid today.
The desert is dry.

Huge – Tiny

The elephant is huge.
The ant is tiny.

Humble – Proud

He is very humble about his success.
She was proud of her work.

Hurry – Delay

We need to hurry to catch the bus.
The rain delayed the flight.

Harmful – Harmless

Smoking is harmful to health.
This insect is harmless.

Hide – Show

She tried to hide the gift.
He showed me his new phone.

Host – Guest

The host welcomed us.
The guest enjoyed the party.

Honest – Dishonest

He is an honest man.
A dishonest person cannot be trusted.

Hardworking – Lazy

She is a hardworking student.
He is too lazy to study.

Harsh – Gentle

The teacher’s words were harsh.
She spoke in a gentle voice.

Humorous – Serious

He told a humorous story.
She has a very serious nature.

Helpful – Unhelpful

The staff was very helpful.
The guide was unhelpful.

Hopeful – Hopeless

She is hopeful about the future.
He felt hopeless after the accident.

Human – Animal

A human can think and speak.
The animal lives in the jungle.

Handle – Drop

Please handle the glass with care.
He dropped his phone on the floor.

Here – There

Please sit here.
I left my book there.

Heroic – Cowardly

The fireman made a heroic rescue.
Running away was a cowardly act.

Heal – Hurt

Time will heal your pain.
He hurt his knee while running.

I – Words with Opposites

Important – Unimportant

This is an important meeting.
The details are unimportant.

Inside – Outside

The cat is inside the house.
The kids are playing outside.

Increase – Decrease

We need to increase our efforts.
The sales decreased last month.

Intelligent – Stupid

She is very intelligent.
His decision was stupid.

Interesting – Boring

The movie was interesting.
The lecture was boring.

Include – Exclude

Please include my name in the list.
They excluded him from the team.

Idle – Busy

He remained idle all day.
She is always busy with work.

Innocent – Guilty

The child is innocent.
The judge found him guilty.

Invisible – Visible

The stars are invisible during the day.
The moon is clearly visible tonight.

Intentional – Accidental

His mistake was intentional.
The fall was accidental.

Internal – External

The problem is internal.
The door leads to the external area.

Improve – Worsen

Exercise can improve health.
His condition worsened overnight.

Independent – Dependent

She is independent and lives alone.
The baby is dependent on his mother.

Imperfect – Perfect

The design is imperfect.
The answer is perfect.

Illegal – Legal

Stealing is illegal.
The contract is legal.

Informal – Formal

This is an informal meeting.
He wore a formal suit.

Inferior – Superior

This product is inferior in quality.
The new model is superior.

Individual – Group

He prefers to work as an individual.
They completed the project as a group.

Infinite – Finite

Space seems infinite.
The water supply is finite.

Immovable – Movable

This rock is immovable.
The chair is movable.

Ill – Well

He has been ill for two days.
She is feeling well now.

Impure – Pure

The water is impure.
We need pure drinking water.

Inactive – Active

He is inactive on social media.
She is an active participant in class.

Impartial – Biased

A judge should be impartial.
His opinion is biased.

Ignorant – Knowledgeable

He was ignorant about the rules.
She is very knowledgeable.

Increase – Reduce

They plan to increase production.
We should reduce waste.

J – Words with Opposites

Joy – Sorrow

Her face was full of joy.
He was filled with sorrow after the loss.

Join – Separate

They decided to join the club.
The teacher asked them to separate into groups.

Justice – Injustice

The judge ensured justice.
The innocent man suffered injustice.

Jolly – Gloomy

He is always jolly and cheerful.
The weather looks gloomy today.

Junior – Senior

She is a junior officer.
He is my senior at work.

Jealous – Trusting

He was jealous of his friend’s success.
She is trusting and believes in others.

Jovial – Miserable

His jovial nature makes everyone happy.
She felt miserable after the bad news.

Judicious – Foolish

He made a judicious decision.
That was a foolish mistake.

Just – Unjust

The decision was just and fair.
The treatment of workers was unjust.

Jumpy – Calm

He felt jumpy before the exam.
She remained calm under pressure.

Juvenile – Mature

His behavior was juvenile.
She is very mature for her age.

Jubilant – Depressed

The team was jubilant after their victory.
He looked depressed all day.

Jesting – Serious

He was only jesting with his friends.
The teacher gave him a serious look.

Judgmental – Open-minded

She is too judgmental about others.
He is open-minded and listens to different opinions.

Jarring – Pleasant

The loud noise was jarring.
The music was pleasant to hear.

Jaded – Fresh

He felt jaded after a long day.
She looked fresh in the morning.

Jumbled – Organized

His desk was jumbled with papers.
She keeps her books organized.

Jumpy – Steady

The little girl was jumpy with excitement.
His hands were steady while drawing.

Joyful – Melancholy

The party was joyful.
His heart was full of melancholy.

Jesting – Grave

He was only jesting, not being serious.
The situation was grave.

Joviality – Misery

His joviality made everyone laugh.
She lived in misery for years.

Joking – Seriousness

He was joking about the test.
The teacher spoke with seriousness.

Jubilance – Sadness

The crowd was full of jubilance.
His eyes showed sadness.

Justice – Corruption

They fought for justice.
The country is suffering from corruption.

Jiggly – Still

The jelly was jiggly on the plate.
He stood still like a statue.

Jumbled – Neat

His notes were jumbled and confusing.
Her handwriting was neat and clear.

K – Words with Opposites

Kind – Cruel

She was very kind to the animals.
The cruel man hurt the poor dog.

Knowledgeable – Ignorant

The professor is knowledgeable in history.
He is ignorant about world affairs.

Known – Unknown

He is a well-known artist.
The author of the book remains unknown.

Keep – Lose

Please keep this key safe.
Don’t lose your phone again.

Keen – Dull

She has a keen sense of smell.
His reaction was dull and slow.

Kill – Save

The doctor tried to save the patient.
The poison can kill insects.

Knock – Lift

He knocked on the door.
She lifted the heavy box.

Knotty – Smooth

The rope was knotty and tangled.
The table had a smooth surface.

Kindness – Meanness

Her kindness won everyone’s heart.
His meanness hurt many people.

Kempt – Unkempt

His kempt hair looked neat.
His room was unkempt and messy.

Keen – Uninterested

She is keen on learning new things.
He seemed uninterested in the discussion.

King – Servant

The king ruled wisely.
The servant followed his orders.

Kiss – Slap

She gave her child a goodnight kiss.
He received a slap for being rude.

Kindly – Rudely

He spoke kindly to the stranger.
The waiter treated the customer rudely.

Knot – Untie

She tied a knot in the rope.
He tried to untie the shoelaces.

Knowledge – Ignorance

Knowledge is power.
His ignorance led to mistakes.

Kin – Stranger

He considers his kin very important.
A stranger helped him on the road.

Kneel – Stand

He had to kneel in prayer.
The teacher asked the students to stand.

Kick – Catch

He kicked the football hard.
She managed to catch the ball in time.

Kindhearted – Heartless

She is a kindhearted woman who helps everyone.
His heartless actions shocked everyone.

Kid – Adult

The kid was playing in the park.
An adult should take responsibility.

Kooky – Normal

His ideas are a little kooky.
Everything seemed normal in the morning.

Keenly – Indifferently

She listened keenly to the teacher.
He responded indifferently to the news.

Knit – Unravel

She loves to knit sweaters.
The thread started to unravel.

Kickoff – Conclusion

The match will kickoff at 7 PM.
The meeting reached its conclusion after an hour.

Karma – Luck

He believes in karma, meaning what goes around comes around.
Winning the lottery was pure luck.

L – Words with Opposites

Large – Small

The elephant is large.
The mouse is small.

Laugh – Cry

The joke made her laugh.
The sad story made him cry.

Lazy – Active

He is too lazy to exercise.
She is very active in sports.

Long – Short

The road is long.
His hair is short.

Lose – Win

Our team will not lose this game.
They want to win the championship.

Loud – Quiet

The music is too loud.
The library is very quiet.

Love – Hate

I love my family.
He hates waiting in long lines.

Light – Heavy

This bag is light.
The box is heavy.

Late – Early

He arrived late for the meeting.
She likes to wake up early.

Left – Right

Turn left at the corner.
He raised his right hand.

Lock – Unlock

Please lock the door before leaving.
She used the key to unlock the door.

Luxury – Poverty

He enjoys a life of luxury.
Many people struggle with poverty.

Lend – Borrow

I will lend you my book.
Can I borrow your pen?

Logical – Illogical

His argument was logical.
The story sounded illogical.

Less – More

He ate less food today.
She needs more time to finish.

Limit – Unlimited

There is a limit to how much you can eat.
His internet plan is unlimited.

Land – Water

The plane landed on land.
The boat sailed on water.

Loyal – Disloyal

A dog is always loyal to its owner.
He was punished for being disloyal to the team.

Live – Die

Plants need water to live.
Without oxygen, we would die.

Large – Tiny

The house is large.
The insect is tiny.

Laughable – Serious

His excuse was laughable.
The situation is serious.

Likely – Unlikely

It is likely to rain today.
It is unlikely that he will come.

Legal – Illegal

Drinking clean water is legal.
Stealing is illegal.

Lazy – Hardworking

He is too lazy to study.
She is very hardworking.

Lovely – Horrible

The garden looks lovely.
The storm was horrible.

Luminous – Dark

The moon was luminous in the night sky.
The room was dark without lights.

M – Words with Opposites

Major – Minor

This is a major issue.
He made a minor mistake.

Many – Few

There are many apples in the basket.
Only a few people attended the meeting.

Mature – Immature

She is very mature for her age.
His behavior was immature.

Mean – Generous

He was mean to his friends.
She is always generous with her money.

Modern – Ancient

The city has modern buildings.
We visited an ancient temple.

More – Less

I need more sugar in my tea.
He ate less than usual.

Messy – Neat

His room is always messy.
Her desk is very neat.

Mild – Severe

He had a mild cold.
The storm was severe.

Miss – Catch

I missed the bus.
He caught the ball easily.

Mobile – Immobile

The old man is still mobile.
The accident left him immobile.

Mortal – Immortal

All humans are mortal.
Legends say gods are immortal.

Merry – Sad

The children were merry at the party.
She felt sad after hearing the news.

Male – Female

The doctor is male.
The teacher is female.

Maximum – Minimum

The maximum speed limit is 60 km/h.
The minimum age to vote is 18.

Morning – Evening

I wake up early in the morning.
We will go out in the evening.

Melt – Freeze

Ice will melt in the sun.
Water will freeze in the cold.

Majority – Minority

The majority voted for the new law.
The minority had a different opinion.

Move – Stay

We will move to a new house soon.
They decided to stay at home.

Moist – Dry

The cake was soft and moist.
The land was dry after summer.

Match – Mismatch

The shoes match her dress.
His socks are a complete mismatch.

Mistake – Correctness

He made a big mistake.
The teacher checked the correctness of his answers.

Massive – Tiny

The elephant is massive.
The ant is tiny.

Material – Spiritual

He focuses on material wealth.
She values spiritual peace.

Merciful – Merciless

The judge was merciful to the boy.
The enemy was merciless in battle.

Magnify – Reduce

The glass will magnify the text.
We need to reduce our expenses.

Multiply – Divide

If you multiply 2 by 3, you get 6.
If you divide 6 by 2, you get 3.

N – Words with Opposites

Near – Far

The school is near my house.
The mountains are far away.

Narrow – Wide

The street is very narrow.
This road is wide.

Natural – Artificial

This juice is natural.
These flowers are artificial.

Normal – Abnormal

His behavior is normal.
The test results were abnormal.

Necessary – Unnecessary

Water is necessary for life.
This extra work is unnecessary.

Neat – Messy

Her handwriting is neat.
His desk is messy.

Nice – Nasty

She is a nice person.
His comments were nasty.

North – South

Canada is in the north.
Argentina is in the south.

Night – Day

The stars shine at night.
The sun rises during the day.

Noble – Ignoble

He belongs to a noble family.
His actions were ignoble.

Noise – Silence

The traffic makes a lot of noise.
There was complete silence in the room.

Nasty – Pleasant

The food had a nasty smell.
The weather was pleasant today.

Numerous – Few

There are numerous birds in the garden.
Only a few students came to class.

New – Old

She bought a new dress.
His shoes are very old.

Neglect – Care

He neglects his duties.
She takes great care of her plants.

Negative – Positive

His attitude is very negative.
She always thinks in a positive way.

Nervous – Confident

He felt nervous before the test.
She was confident about her speech.

Notorious – Famous

The criminal is notorious for his crimes.
The scientist is famous for his discoveries.

Nearer – Further

The shop is nearer than I thought.
The train station is further down the road.

Need – Luxury

Food is a need.
A big car is a luxury.

Nourish – Starve

Good food will nourish your body.
Without food, people starve.

Neutral – Biased

The judge must be neutral.
His opinion is biased.

Next – Previous

We will meet next week.
I read the previous chapter yesterday.

Native – Foreign

English is his native language.
He is learning a foreign language.

Notice – Ignore

She didn’t notice me.
He ignored my message.

Needy – Wealthy

The charity helps needy people.
He is a wealthy businessman.

O – Words with Opposites

Open – Closed

The door is open.
The shop is closed.

Optimistic – Pessimistic

She is optimistic about the future.
He is always pessimistic about everything.

Ordinary – Extraordinary

His life was quite ordinary.
She has an extraordinary talent.

Old – New

This house is very old.
He bought a new car.

Opposite – Similar

North is the opposite of south.
Their ideas are quite similar.

Over – Under

The bird flew over the tree.
The cat is hiding under the table.

Obedient – Disobedient

The dog is very obedient.
The student was disobedient in class.

Occupied – Vacant

The seat is occupied.
The room is vacant.

Offensive – Pleasant

His words were offensive.
The smell of flowers is pleasant.

Offer – Refuse

He offered me a gift.
She refused to take the money.

Outside – Inside

The kids are playing outside.
It’s warm inside the house.

Out – In

She went out to buy groceries.
He stayed in all day.

Official – Unofficial

The news is official.
That information is unofficial.

Obvious – Hidden

The mistake was obvious.
The treasure is hidden underground.

Outstanding – Mediocre

She gave an outstanding performance.
His work was just mediocre.

Overload – Lighten

Don’t overload the truck.
We need to lighten the load.

Overjoyed – Miserable

She was overjoyed at the news.
He felt miserable after failing the test.

Original – Fake

This is an original painting.
That bag is fake.

Overflow – Dry up

The river will overflow after heavy rain.
The lake has started to dry up.

Open-minded – Close-minded

He is very open-minded about new ideas.
Some people are close-minded about change.

Opaque – Transparent

This glass is opaque.
The water is transparent.

Observe – Ignore

She likes to observe people.
He chose to ignore my advice.

Overcome – Surrender

He overcame his fears.
The soldiers surrendered to the enemy.

Organized – Disorganized

Her desk is always organized.
His room is very disorganized.

Overestimate – Underestimate

He overestimated his abilities.
Don’t underestimate the power of practice.

Outgoing – Shy

She is very outgoing and makes friends easily.
He is too shy to speak in public.

P – Words with Opposites

Poor – Rich

He grew up in a poor family.
They are very rich.

Positive – Negative

She has a positive attitude.
His response was negative.

Polite – Rude

She is always polite to others.
His behavior was rude.

Pretty – Ugly

The flowers are pretty.
The old building looks ugly.

Present – Absent

She was present in class.
He was absent yesterday.

Public – Private

This is a public park.
They had a private meeting.

Peace – War

The country wants peace.
War causes destruction.

Powerful – Weak

The king was powerful.
The old man is weak.

Push – Pull

Please push the door to open.
Pull the rope to lift the box.

Pass – Fail

He worked hard to pass the exam.
She was sad to fail the test.

Permanent – Temporary

She got a permanent job.
This is just a temporary position.

Possible – Impossible

Anything is possible with hard work.
Flying without wings is impossible.

Plenty – Scarcity

We have plenty of food.
There is a scarcity of water in the desert.

Proud – Humble

He is proud of his achievements.
She is very humble despite her success.

Pure – Impure

This is pure gold.
The water is impure.

Physical – Mental

Exercise is good for physical health.
Stress affects mental health.

Particular – General

I like this particular dress.
He spoke in general terms.

Pleasant – Unpleasant

The weather is pleasant today.
The smell was unpleasant.

Play – Work

The children love to play.
Adults have to work.

Passive – Active

He took a passive role in the project.
She is very active in sports.

Patient – Impatient

He was patient while waiting.
She became impatient with the delay.

Profit – Loss

The company made a profit.
They suffered a huge loss.

Powerless – Powerful

The villagers felt powerless against the storm.
The leader was powerful.

Permit – Forbid

They permit photography here.
Smoking is forbidden in public places.

Popular – Unpopular

The singer is popular worldwide.
The decision was unpopular.

Productive – Unproductive

He had a productive day.
The meeting was unproductive.

Q – Words with Opposites

Quick – Slow

He gave a quick reply.
The turtle is slow.

Quiet – Noisy

The library is quiet.
The street is noisy.

Qualified – Unqualified

She is qualified for the job.
He is unqualified for this position.

Question – Answer

He asked a question.
The teacher gave an answer.

Quarrel – Agreement

They had a quarrel over money.
They finally reached an agreement.

Quality – Inferiority

This fabric is of high quality.
The product was rejected due to inferiority.

Queen – King

The queen rules the land.
The king leads the army.

Quit – Continue

He decided to quit smoking.
She will continue her studies.

Quench – Ignite

Water can quench thirst.
A matchstick can ignite a fire.

Quaint – Modern

The cottage has a quaint charm.
The city is full of modern buildings.

Quick-witted – Dull-witted

She is very quick-witted.
He seemed dull-witted in class.

Quiescent – Active

The volcano is quiescent now.
The child is very active.

Questionable – Certain

His excuse was questionable.
The result is certain.

Quell – Encourage

The police quelled the protest.
Parents should encourage their children.

Qualified – Incompetent

He is a qualified engineer.
The manager fired the incompetent worker.

Quotidian – Rare

His worries are quotidian.
Such kindness is rare.

Quiver – Steady

Her hands quivered with fear.
He kept his voice steady.

Quadruped – Biped

A horse is a quadruped.
A human is a biped.

Quietness – Loudness

The quietness of the night was peaceful.
The loudness of the music hurt my ears.

Quagmire – Stability

The country is in a political quagmire.
The company is now in a state of stability.

Quizzical – Understanding

He gave her a quizzical look.
Her understanding of the problem was clear.

Quaint – Ordinary

The village has a quaint beauty.
His outfit was quite ordinary.

Quality – Poor

The hotel provides high quality service.
The product is of poor quality.

Quicken – Slow down

He tried to quicken the process.
The car needs to slow down.

Quivering – Still

Her lips were quivering with cold.
He stood still, waiting for an answer.

Quenchless – Satisfied

His thirst for knowledge is quenchless.
After the meal, he felt satisfied.

R – Words with Opposites

Rich – Poor

He was born into a rich family.
They helped the poor man.

Right – Wrong

Your answer is right.
His decision was wrong.

Rough – Smooth

The table surface is rough.
This fabric feels smooth.

Rapid – Slow

The river has a rapid current.
The old man walks slow.

Rude – Polite

He gave a rude reply.
She is always polite to others.

Raise – Lower

Please raise your hand.
They lowered the price.

Rare – Common

This bird is rare to see.
Rain is common in this season.

Real – Fake

The painting is real.
His story was fake.

Relax – Stress

Take a break and relax.
Too much work causes stress.

Regular – Irregular

She follows a regular routine.
His attendance is irregular.

Remember – Forget

I remember your name.
He tends to forget things.

Rescue – Abandon

The firefighters rescued the cat.
He abandoned his old car.

Rise – Fall

The sun rises in the east.
Leaves fall in autumn.

Rigid – Flexible

This material is rigid.
The wire is flexible.

Rural – Urban

They live in a rural area.
Urban life is very busy.

Risky – Safe

Investing in stocks is risky.
Driving slowly is safe.

Respect – Disrespect

We should respect our elders.
Disrespect is not acceptable.

Refuse – Accept

She refused his offer.
He accepted the invitation.

Release – Hold

The prisoner was released.
She held my hand tightly.

Restrict – Allow

The school restricts phone use.
Parents allow kids to play.

Reduce – Increase

We need to reduce waste.
Prices have increased recently.

Refresh – Exhaust

A short nap can refresh you.
Work exhausts me.

Recognize – Ignore

I recognized her at once.
He ignored my message.

Reward – Punishment

Hard work brings rewards.
Cheating leads to punishment.

Revealed – Hidden

The secret was revealed.
The treasure was hidden underground.

Reckless – Careful

His reckless driving caused an accident.
Be careful while crossing the road.

S – Words with Opposites

Small – Big

This dress is too small for me.
Elephants are big animals.

Strong – Weak

He is strong enough to lift the box.
She felt weak after being sick.

Safe – Dangerous

This neighborhood is safe.
The road ahead is dangerous.

Soft – Hard

The pillow is soft.
The rock is hard.

Sharp – Dull

This knife is sharp.
The pencil is dull and needs sharpening.

Sweet – Sour

Mangoes are sweet.
Lemons are sour.

Start – Stop

Let’s start the game.
Please stop talking.

Sunny – Cloudy

Today is a sunny day.
The sky looks cloudy.

Straight – Curved

Draw a straight line.
This road is curved.

Sad – Happy

She felt sad after the news.
He was happy with his gift.

Shallow – Deep

This pool is shallow.
The river is very deep.

Silent – Noisy

The room was silent.
The classroom became noisy.

Slow – Fast

Turtles are slow.
Cheetahs are fast.

Sell – Buy

He wants to sell his car.
I need to buy a new phone.

Sit – Stand

Please sit down.
We all stand for the national anthem.

Simple – Complicated

The question is simple.
The process is complicated.

Serious – Funny

This is a serious matter.
His joke was really funny.

Satisfied – Unsatisfied

He was satisfied with his job.
She felt unsatisfied with her meal.

Success – Failure

Hard work leads to success.
Failure is a part of learning.

Safe – Unsafe

This car is safe to drive.
That building looks unsafe.

Same – Different

They wore the same dress.
We have different opinions.

Smooth – Rough

This fabric is smooth.
The road is rough.

Scarce – Abundant

Water is scarce in the desert.
The garden has abundant flowers.

Separate – Join

Let’s separate these papers.
He wants to join the team.

Strengthen – Weaken

Exercise will strengthen your muscles.
The storm weakened the bridge.

Spend – Save

Don’t spend all your money.
Try to save for the future.

T – Words with Opposites

Tall – Short

The giraffe is tall.
The boy is short for his age.

Thick – Thin

This book is thick.
The paper is very thin.

Tidy – Messy

Her room is always tidy.
His desk is very messy.

Tough – Easy

This test is tough.
The first question was easy.

True – False

His story is true.
That statement is false.

Top – Bottom

The cat is sitting on top of the shelf.
The shoes are at the bottom of the rack.

Tame – Wild

This rabbit is tame.
Lions are wild animals.

Tolerant – Intolerant

She is tolerant of others’ opinions.
He is intolerant to loud noises.

Temporary – Permanent

This job is temporary.
Tattoos are permanent.

Transparent – Opaque

The glass is transparent.
The wall is opaque.

Throw – Catch

Please throw me the ball.
He failed to catch it.

Timid – Brave

The kitten is timid.
The firefighter was brave.

Take – Give

Please take this book.
She loves to give gifts.

Tired – Energetic

I feel tired after work.
Children are always energetic.

Tiny – Huge

The ant is tiny.
The elephant is huge.

Tender – Rough

Her hands are tender.
The road is rough.

Thirsty – Hydrated

After running, I feel thirsty.
Drink water to stay hydrated.

Thick – Thin

The fog is thick.
The blanket is thin.

Traditional – Modern

She prefers traditional clothing.
The building has a modern design.

Tangible – Intangible

Money is a tangible asset.
Love is intangible.

Tactful – Tactless

He was tactful in his reply.
Her words were tactless.

Typical – Unusual

It is a typical summer day.
His behavior was unusual today.

Terror – Peace

The war caused terror.
The country finally found peace.

Together – Apart

They always work together.
The two friends were apart for years.

Teach – Learn

She loves to teach English.
Students must learn new words.

Total – Partial

This is the total cost.
I only have a partial answer.

U – Words with Opposites

Up – Down

The balloon went up in the sky.
The sun sets and goes down.

Useful – Useless

This tool is very useful.
The broken phone is useless.

Unite – Divide

The leaders wanted to unite the country.
The argument will divide them.

Unhappy – Happy

She felt unhappy with the news.
The baby looks so happy.

Under – Over

The cat is hiding under the table.
The plane flew over the city.

Urban – Rural

He lives in an urban area.
The village is in a rural region.

Understand – Misunderstand

I understand the lesson.
He tends to misunderstand instructions.

Unfair – Fair

The decision was unfair.
The teacher is always fair.

Ugly – Beautiful

The house looked ugly before painting.
She wore a beautiful dress.

Unusual – Usual

The weather is unusual today.
He followed his usual routine.

Urgent – Unimportant

This is an urgent matter.
That email is unimportant.

Ultimate – Initial

The ultimate goal is success.
His initial plan changed.

Upward – Downward

Prices are moving upward.
The ball rolled downward.

Undress – Dress

He began to undress.
She took time to dress.

Unfamiliar – Familiar

This place feels unfamiliar.
His face looks familiar.

Unfortunate – Fortunate

Losing the game was unfortunate.
She was fortunate to get the job.

Unlimited – Limited

The internet plan is unlimited.
The offer is for a limited time.

Unequal – Equal

The resources were unequal.
Both teams had equal chances.

Unwilling – Willing

He seemed unwilling to help.
She was willing to assist.

Upright – Dishonest

He is an upright person.
The businessman was dishonest.

Uncertain – Certain

I feel uncertain about this.
She was certain of her choice.

Unkind – Kind

He was unkind to his friend.
The teacher is very kind.

Unnecessary – Necessary

That comment was unnecessary.
Water is necessary for life.

Unoccupied – Occupied

The seat is unoccupied.
The restroom is occupied.

Unstable – Stable

The ladder is unstable.
The table is stable.

Untidy – Neat

His handwriting is untidy.
The classroom is neat.

V – Words with Opposites

Victory – Defeat

The team celebrated their victory.
The army faced defeat in battle.

Visible – Invisible

The moon is visible tonight.
The air is invisible.

Valuable – Worthless

This painting is very valuable.
The old phone is worthless now.

Vague – Clear

His answer was vague.
The instructions were clear.

Vacant – Full

The hotel has vacant rooms.
The bus was full of passengers.

Vertical – Horizontal

The ladder stands vertical.
The table is in a horizontal position.

Virtue – Vice

Honesty is a virtue.
Lying is a vice.

Violent – Peaceful

The protest turned violent.
She lives in a peaceful village.

Voluntary – Mandatory

Attendance is voluntary today.
Wearing a uniform is mandatory.

Vibrant – Dull

She wore a vibrant dress.
The painting looks dull.

Vacuum – Fill

The bottle is a vacuum inside.
Please fill the cup with water.

Vast – Limited

The desert is vast.
Our time is limited.

Vulnerable – Strong

The baby is vulnerable.
The walls are very strong.

Viable – Impossible

That plan is viable.
It’s impossible to fly without wings.

Vigilant – Careless

The guard was vigilant all night.
He made a careless mistake.

Vain – Humble

He is too vain about his looks.
She is a humble person.

Varied – Uniform

The menu has varied options.
The soldiers wear uniform outfits.

Valiant – Cowardly

The knight was valiant in battle.
He acted cowardly and ran away.

Vital – Unimportant

Oxygen is vital for life.
That detail is unimportant.

Voice – Silence

He raised his voice.
There was complete silence.

Visitor – Host

The visitor arrived early.
The host welcomed everyone.

Vivid – Dull

The dream was vivid.
His speech was dull.

Vice – Virtue

Greed is a vice.
Patience is a virtue.

Vocal – Silent

She is very vocal about her opinions.
He remained silent throughout the meeting.

Vanity – Modesty

His vanity made him arrogant.
Her modesty is admirable.

Verifiable – Uncertain

The facts are verifiable.
His story is uncertain.

W – Words with Opposites

Warm – Cold

The soup is warm.
The water is cold.

Weak – Strong

He felt weak after the illness.
She is strong and healthy.

Wide – Narrow

The road is wide.
This path is too narrow.

Win – Lose

I want to win the game.
We may lose if we don’t try hard.

Wet – Dry

My clothes are wet.
The desert is dry.

Wise – Foolish

My grandfather is wise.
It was a foolish decision.

Well – Sick

She is feeling well today.
He looks sick and tired.

Wealthy – Poor

They live in a wealthy neighborhood.
That family is very poor.

Wrong – Right

His answer was wrong.
She gave the right answer.

Wild – Tame

Lions are wild animals.
The cat is tame.

Whole – Part

I ate the whole cake.
I need one part of the machine.

Waste – Save

Don’t waste water.
We should save electricity.

Willing – Unwilling

She is willing to help.
He is unwilling to work.

Wonderful – Terrible

The view is wonderful.
That was a terrible mistake.

Worse – Better

His health is getting worse.
She is feeling better now.

Weird – Normal

That movie was weird.
This is a normal situation.

War – Peace

The country is at war.
We all want peace.

Weakness – Strength

Fear is his weakness.
Patience is her strength.

West – East

The sun sets in the west.
The sun rises in the east.

Worker – Boss

The worker follows orders.
The boss makes decisions.

Wake – Sleep

I wake up early.
Babies sleep a lot.

Warm-hearted – Cold-hearted

She is warm-hearted and kind.
He is cold-hearted and rude.

Witty – Dull

His jokes are witty.
The lecture was dull.

Watchful – Careless

The guard is watchful.
He made a careless mistake.

Whisper – Shout

She spoke in a whisper.
He had to shout to be heard.

Welcome – Reject

They welcome all guests.
He rejected the offer.

X, Y, Z – Words with Opposites

Xeric – Moist

Cacti grow in xeric conditions.
The rainforest is always moist.

Xenophobic – Tolerant

A xenophobic person fears outsiders.
A tolerant person respects all cultures.

Xerox – Original

This document is just a Xerox copy.
I need the original certificate.

X-rated – Family-friendly

That movie is X-rated.
This show is family-friendly.

Yield – Resist

He refused to yield to pressure.
She decided to resist the temptation.

Young – Old

He is still young and energetic.
My grandmother is old and wise.

Yawn – Wide awake

He started to yawn in class.
She drank coffee and felt wide awake.

Yes – No

She said yes to the invitation.
He replied with a firm no.

Yummy – Tasteless

This cake is yummy!
The soup is tasteless.

Yoke – Freedom

The farmers used a yoke on the oxen.
After years of struggle, they won their freedom.

Zeal – Apathy

He worked with great zeal.
Her apathy showed a lack of interest.

Zero – Everything

I scored zero on the test.
He lost everything in the fire.

Zenith – Nadir

His career reached its zenith.
The company hit its nadir last year.

Zestful – Lifeless

The performance was zestful and exciting.
His voice sounded lifeless.

Zippy – Sluggish

The car is zippy and fast.
He felt sluggish after lunch.

Zip – Unzip

Please zip your jacket.
He unzipped his bag.

Zoom – Slow down

The car zoomed past us.
He had to slow down in traffic.

Zonal – Universal

The rule applies to a zonal area.
Some values are universal.

Zany – Serious

He has a zany sense of humor.
This is a serious matter.

Zest – Indifference

She approached life with zest.
His indifference was disappointing.

Zealous – Indifferent

He is zealous about his work.
She remained indifferent to the news.

Zigzag – Straight

The road followed a zigzag path.
He drew a straight line.

Zippy – Lethargic

The puppy was zippy and playful.
He felt lethargic after a long day.

Zilch – Plenty

I have zilch money left.
There was plenty of food.

Zinc – Rust

This pipe is made of zinc.
The old car is covered in rust.

Zebra – Plain

A zebra has black and white stripes.
The walls were plain and unpainted.

So, that was the today’s lesson where you learned 500+ Examples of opposite words along with their use in sentences. By learning these antonym words with their use in sentences improve your vocabulary and communication skills to the next level.

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