Intermediate … min read · Updated 2026-06-20

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)

MeaningHonest, straightforward, and frank.

She gave a candid interview about her experience.

Beat around the bush (Idiom)

MeaningTo avoid talking directly about something.

Stop beating around the bush and get to the point.

Scrutinize (Verb)

MeaningTo examine closely and thoroughly.

The inspector scrutinized every detail of the project.

Run into (Phrasal verb)

MeaningTo meet someone by chance or unexpectedly.

I ran into an old friend while shopping downtown.

Piece of cake (Idiom)

MeaningSomething that is very easy to do.

That test was a piece of cake for me.

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