FORMATION OF ANTONYMS (OPPOSITES) (Article by P. Sivadas Master)

FORMATION OF ANTONYMS (OPPOSITES)

(Article by P. Sivadas Master)

      An antonym is a word that is opposite in meaning in the same language. A particular word may have many antonyms. But they may not have exactly the similar meaning. They will have slight difference in their meaning. So we should be very careful to use the  right or correct or apt antonym as the situation demands.

      Antonyms can be formed in many ways. Some of them are listed below. Examples are also provided. Try to find more examples in each category.

 

1.01 Using Prefix Un-

      Able                    X      Unable

      Broken                X      Unbroken

1.02 Using Prefix Dis –

      Advantage          X      Disadvantage

      Mount                 X      Dismount

      Order                  X      Disorder

1.03 Using Prefix Mis –

      Fortune               X      Misfortune

      Use                     X      Misuse

1.04 Using Prefix Non –

      Essential             X      Non-essential

      Vegetarian          X      Non-vegetarian

1.05 Using Prefix In –

      Convenience       X      Inconvenience

      Dependence        X      Independence

1.06 Using Prefix Im –

      Mature                X      Immature

      Pure                    X      Impure

1.07 Using Prefix IL–

      Legal                   X      Illegal

      Literacy              X      Illiteracy

1.08 Using Prefix Ir –

      Regular               X      Irregular

      Responsible        X      Irresponsible

1.09 Using Prefix De –

      Control               X      Decontrol

      Merit                   X      Demerit

1.10 Using suffix -Less instead of -Ful

      Careful               X      Careless

      Harmful              X      harmless

1.11 Using suffix -Ful instead of –Less

      Painless               X      Painful

      Shameless           X      Shameful

1.12 Using Prefix De – instead of 2 letters

      Ascend               X      Descend

      Attach                 X      Detach

      Increase              X      Decrease

      Inflate                 X      Deflate

      Inflation              X      Deflation

1.13 Using Prefix ILL – instead of Well-

      Well                    X      Ill

      Well-bred            X      Ill-bread

1.14 Using Prefix WELL – instead of Ill-

      Ill-treated            X      Well-treated

1.15 Using an entirely different word

      Add                    X      Subtract

      Deep                   X      Shallow

      Innocent             X      Guilty

      Joy                      X      Sorrow

      Lower                 X      Higher

      Poor                    X      Rich

      Sell                     X      Buy

1.16 Exercise

      Fill in the blanks with apt antonyms.

1.16.01

Failure is the stepping stone to ---- (Success)

1.16.02

The rich like costly commodities while the poor like ---- (cheap)

1.16.03

He sold his old car and bought a ---- one. (new)

1.16.04

He is very old. But his brothers are very --- (young)

1.16.05

I like to read modern history as well as --- history (ancient)

1.16.06

The students are noisy today, but they were --- yesterday (silent)

1.16.07

Arjun is the first in the class, but Rani is the --- (last) 

1.16.08

The agitation was peaceful at the beginning , but later it became --- (violent)

1.16.09

Like poles attract and unlike poles --- (repel)

1.16.10

For every action there is an equal and opposite --- (reaction)