List of common words that have two opposite senses
- List of common words that have two opposite senses
Many words have several very different senses. This is a list of words which have two senses that are literally opposites.
Eminently ambiguous words.
Even the context does not usually divulge the meaning of the following words, so that their use (in the senses provided) leaves the danger that the word will be interpreted in a sense "exactly opposite" than intended. Language cannot usually long cope with such stark ambiguity, and usage guides will usually proscribe one of the meanings, usually the one latter to develop, as being a corruption.
* seeded: "with" seeds; "without" seeds
* to scan: to look through "with attention"; to look through "without attention" (latter proscribed)
* impregnable: "not enterable"; "enterable" (latter proscribed)
Words whose meaning is usually clear from context.
The following are words that have some senses which are opposites, but for which the context almost always makes the intended sense clear.
* a bill: a medium of "money" (a $10 bill); a medium of "money owed" (a bill for $10)
* to clip: to cause to be "together"; to cause to be "apart"
* to consult: to "give" advice; to "receive" advice
* fast: "not moving"; "moving"
* fine: "not above" average; "above" average
* to hold up: "aid"; "hinder"
* to lease: in exchange for money, for a time to "give up" possession of; to "gain" possession of
* an oversight: "attention"; "lack of attention"
* to put out: cause "to exist"; cause to "cease to exist"
* a strike: a "hit"; a "miss"
* to wind up: to "start"; to "finish"
Some verbs refer either to "adding" or "removing" the noun from which they are formed:
* to "dust": to "remove" powder; "add" powder;
* to "seed": to "remove" seeds; to "add" seeds
* to "skin": to "remove" skin; to "add" skin
See also
* Contronyms (Auto-antonyms)
External links
* [http://www.google.com/search?rls=en&q=what+words+are+their+own+antonyms?&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 What words are their own antonyms?]
* [http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml]
* [http://alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxwhatwo.html]
* [http://www.fun-with-words.com/nym_autoantonyms.html]
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