Intermediate … min read · Updated 2026-06-22

Antonyms

An antonym is a word with the opposite meaning of another word.

WordAntonym
hotcold
happysad
openclose / shut
earlylate
increasedecrease

Day and night.

The opposite of strong is weak.

Many antonyms are formed with a prefix: happy → unhappy, possible → impossible, agree → disagree.

Common mistake: Choosing the wrong prefix: "unpossible" is wrong — the antonym of possible is impossible.

✏️ Test Yourself

1. big

2. fast

3. happy

4. possible

📒 Words to learn

Candid (Adj)

Meaning — Honest, straightforward, and frank.

“She gave a candid interview about her experience.”

Beat around the bush (Idiom)

Meaning — To avoid talking directly about something.

“Stop beating around the bush and get to the point.”

Scrutinize (Verb)

Meaning — To examine closely and thoroughly.

“The inspector scrutinized every detail of the project.”

Run into (Phrasal verb)

Meaning — To meet someone by chance or unexpectedly.

“I ran into an old friend while shopping downtown.”

Piece of cake (Idiom)

Meaning — Something that is very easy to do.

“That test was a piece of cake for me.”

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