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75 Contronyms (Words With Contradictory Meanings)

The document lists 75 English words that have contradictory meanings depending on the context. These words are called "contronyms" or "autoantonyms". Some examples provided include "cleave" which can mean to adhere or to separate, "fast" which can mean quick or stuck, and "left" which can mean remained or departed. The list of 75 contronyms is intended to illustrate the interesting phenomenon of words having opposite meanings based on how they are used in different contexts.

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1K views

75 Contronyms (Words With Contradictory Meanings)

The document lists 75 English words that have contradictory meanings depending on the context. These words are called "contronyms" or "autoantonyms". Some examples provided include "cleave" which can mean to adhere or to separate, "fast" which can mean quick or stuck, and "left" which can mean remained or departed. The list of 75 contronyms is intended to illustrate the interesting phenomenon of words having opposite meanings based on how they are used in different contexts.

Uploaded by

sogunmola
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings) 8/17/18, 7'09 AM

75 Contronyms (Words with


Contradictory Meanings)
The English language includes an interesting category of words and phrases
called contronyms (also spelled contranyms, or referred to as autoantonyms)
— terms that, depending on context, can have opposite or contradictory
meanings. When you use these words, be sure the context clearly identifies
which meaning is intended:

1. Apology: A statement of contrition for an action, or a defense of one


2. Aught: All, or nothing
3. Bill: A payment, or an invoice for payment
4. Bolt: To secure, or to flee
5. Bound: Heading to a destination, or restrained from movement
6. Buckle: To connect, or to break or collapse
7. Cleave: To adhere, or to separate
8. Clip: To fasten, or detach
9. Consult: To offer advice, or to obtain it
10. Continue: To keep doing an action, or to suspend an action
11. Custom: A common practice, or a special treatment
12. Dike: A wall to prevent flooding, or a ditch
13. Discursive: Moving in an orderly fashion among topics, or proceeding
aimlessly in a discussion
14. Dollop: A large amount (British English), or a small amount
15. Dust: To add fine particles, or to remove them
16. Enjoin: To impose, or to prohibit
17. Fast: Quick, or stuck or made stable
18. Fine: Excellent, or acceptable or good enough
19. Finished: Completed, or ended or destroyed

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75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings) 8/17/18, 7'09 AM

20. First degree: Most severe in the case of a murder charge, or least severe
in reference to a burn
21. Fix: To repair, or to castrate
22. Flog: To promote persistently, or to criticize or beat
23. Garnish: To furnish, as with food preparation, or to take away, as with
wages
24. Give out: To provide, or to stop because of a lack of supply
25. Go: To proceed or succeed, or to weaken or fail
26. Grade: A degree of slope, or a horizontal line or position
27. Handicap: An advantage provided to ensure equality, or a disadvantage
that prevents equal achievement
28. Help: To assist, or to prevent or (in negative constructions) restrain
29. Hold up: To support, or to impede
30. Lease: To offer property for rent, or to hold such property
31. Left: Remained, or departed
32. Let: Allowed, or hindered
33. Liege: A feudal lord, or a vassal
34. Literally: Actually, or virtually
35. Mean: Average or stingy, or excellent
36. Model: An exemplar, or a copy
37. Off: Deactivated, or activated, as an alarm
38. Out: Visible, as with stars showing in the sky, or invisible, in reference to
lights
39. Out of: Outside, or inside, as in working out of a specific office
40. Overlook: To supervise, or to neglect
41. Oversight: Monitoring, or failing to oversee
42. Peer: A person of the nobility, or an equal
43. Presently: Now, or soon
44. Put out: Extinguish, or generate
45. Puzzle: A problem, or to solve one

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75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings) 8/17/18, 7'09 AM

46. Quantum: Significantly large, or a minuscule part


47. Quiddity: Essence, or a trifling point of contention
48. Quite: Rather (as a qualifying modifier), or completely
49. Ravel: To entangle, or to disentangle
50. Refrain: To desist from doing something, or to repeat
51. Rent: To purchase use of something, or to sell use
52. Rock: An immobile mass of stone or figuratively similar phenomenon, or
a shaking or unsettling movement or action
53. Sanction: To approve, or to boycott
54. Sanguine: Confidently cheerful, or bloodthirsty
55. Scan: To peruse, or to glance
56. Screen: To present, or to conceal
57. Seed: To sow seeds, or to shed or remove them
58. Shop: To patronize a business in order to purchase something, or to sell
something
59. Skin: To cover, or to remove
60. Skinned: Covered with skin, or with the skin removed
61. Splice: To join, or to separate
62. Stakeholder: One who has a stake in an enterprise, or a bystander who
holds the stake for those placing a bet
63. Strike: To hit, or to miss in an attempt to hit
64. Table: To propose (in British English), or to set aside
65. Temper: To soften, or to strengthen
66. Throw out: To dispose of, or to present for consideration
67. Transparent: Invisible, or obvious
68. Trim: To decorate, or to remove excess from
69. Trip: A journey, or a stumble
70. Unbending: Rigid, or relaxing
71. Variety: A particular type, or many types
72. Wear: To endure, or to deteriorate

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75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings) 8/17/18, 7'09 AM

73. Weather: To withstand, or to wear away


74. Wind up: To end, or to start up
75. With: Alongside, or against

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