Opposite Words in English

43 min read

Understanding opposite words, also known as antonyms, is a fundamental part of learning English for primary school students. Opposites are crucial for building vocabulary, improving communication, and enhancing reading comprehension. In this blog, we’ll explore 100 simple opposite words that are perfect for young learners. These words are easy to remember and will help kids grasp the basics of English quickly.

What Are Opposite Words?

Opposite words are pairs of words that have completely different meanings. For example, "big" and "small" are opposites. Learning these pairs not only makes language more interesting but also strengthens a child’s ability to describe things more precisely.

Why Are Opposite Words Important?

Vocabulary Building: Learning opposites helps children expand their word knowledge.

Better Communication: Understanding opposites improves clarity in speaking and writing.

Enhanced Comprehension: It helps in understanding context and meaning while reading.

1. Accept X Reject/Refuse
2. Achievement X Failure
3. Acknowledge X Reject
4. Active X Passive
5. Alive X Dead
6. Always X Never
7. Ancient X Modern
8. Arrive X Depart
9. Attack X Defend
10. Beautiful X Ugly
11. Begin X End
12. below X Above
13. Best X Worst
14. Big X Small
15. Bitter X Sweet
16. Bold X Timid (coward)
17. Brave X Coward
18. Bud X Flower
19. Buy X Sell
20. Careful X Careless
21. Celebrate X Mourn
22. Certain X Uncertain
23. Clever X fool
24. Clever X Foolish
25. Come X Go
26. Cool X Hot
27. Defeat X Victory
28. Demolish X Construct
29. Dirty X Clean
30. Dream X Realize
31. Dry X Wet
32. Easy X Difficult
33. Empty X Full
34. Encourage X Discourage
35. Ever X Never
36. Expand X Contract
37. Fast X Slow
38. Fastest X Slowest
39. Feat X Failure
40. First X Last
41. Foolish X Wise
42. Former X Later
43. Friend X Enemy
44. Frown X Smil
45. Full X Empty
46. Fast X Slow
47. Generosity X Miserliness
48. Generous X Miser
49. Give X Take
50. Glad X Grieve
51. Glad X Sad
52. Good X Bad
53. Great X Silly
54. Grieving X Enjoying
55. Happy X Unhappy
56. Hard X Soft
57. Heavy X Light
58. Help X Hinder
59. High X Low
60. Highest X Lowest
61. Ignorant X Intelligent
62. Increase X Decrease
63. Initially X Finally
64. Intelligent X Dull
65. Interesting X Boring
66. Lady X Gentleman
67. Large X Small
68. Laugh X Weep
69. Leader X Follower
70. Less X More
71. Long X Short
72. Lose X Gain
73. Master X Student
74. Mean X Great
75. Mighty X Weak
76. More X Less
77. Native X Foreign
78. Never X Always
79. New X Old
80. Notice X Ignore
81. Oblige X Refuse
82. Open X Close
83. Order X Request
84. Outer X Inner
85. Patriot X Traitor
86. Permanent X Temporary
87. Poverty X Richness
88. Powerful X Powerless
89. Present X Absent
90. Profit X Loss
91. Prolific X Barren
92. Proud X Humble
93. Quick X Slow
94. Quit X Join
95. Remember X Forget
96. Request X Order
97. Reward X Insult
98. Reward X Punishment
99. Safe X Unsafe/Dangerous
100. Same X Different
101. Save X Spend
102. Serious X Casual
103. Silent X Aggressive
104. Silly X Great
105. Slow X Fast
106. Soft X Hard
107. Special X Ordinary
108. Stop X Allow
109. Strong X Weak
110. Stronger X Weaker
111. Success X Failure
112. Suffer X Enjoy
113. Superior X Inferior
114. Sweet X bitter
115. Tell X Ask
116. Tough X Smooth
117. True X False
118. Useful X Useless
119. Vanish X Appear
120. Weak X Strong
121. Widow X Widower
122. Won X Lost
123. Wrong X Right
124. Young X old
125. Brave X Timid
126. Broad X Narrow
127. Difficult X Easy
128. Kind X Cruel / Unkind
129. Life X Death
130. Master X Servant
131. Presence X absence
132. Rich X poor
133. Right X Left
134. Right X Wrong
135. Superior X Inferior