Opposite Meanings

What Are Opposite Meanings?

• Opposite meanings are called Antonyms.
• They are pairs of words that are as different as possible from each other.
• If one word represents "yes," its opposite represents "no."
• We use opposites to show contrast and to describe how things are different.

Common Pairs of Opposites You can find opposites for almost every type of word (Nouns, Verbs, and Adjectives):

• Size: Big Small
• Temperature: Hot Cold
• Speed: Fast Slow
• Feelings: Happy Sad
• Position: Up Down
• Time: Day Night

How to Find an Opposite When you want to find the opposite of a word, try the "Mirror Test":

1. Imagine the word in a mirror.
2. What is the total flip-side of that idea?
3. If the word is Push, the flip-side action is Pull.

Using Opposites in Sentences Opposites help us compare two things in the same sentence:

• "The elephant is heavy, but the feather is light."
• "The tea is hot, but the ice cream is cold."
• "My hands are dirty, but after I wash them, they are clean."

The "Un-" and "Dis-" Trick Sometimes, you can make an opposite just by adding a few letters to the beginning of a word (these are called prefixes):

• Happy Unhappy
• Kind Unkind
• Agree Disagree
• Like Dislike

Why Do We Learn This?

• Stronger Writing: Instead of just saying something is "not big," you can say it is "tiny."
• Better Directions: It helps you understand instructions like "Turn Left" instead of "Right."
• Vocabulary: Learning one word usually helps you remember its "rival" word, doubling your vocabulary!

Lesson Summary

• Antonyms are words with opposite meanings.
• They help us compare things.
• You can often create opposites using prefixes like Un- or Dis-.