Opposite Words in English: Learn the Common Word Pairs

Have you ever heard of ‘Opposite Words’? They’re like word buddies that do the opposite of each other! Opposite words in English balance each other out – just like “hot” and “cold,” “happy” and “sad.

It’s a bit like a fun word game where one word goes in the opposite direction of the other. Learning opposite words in English is like finding secret codes in English. You can talk and write better when you learn these special word pairs, just like a word wizard!  

So, get ready to explore “Opposite Words in English” where “up” meets “down,” and “big” gives a high-five to “small.”

Common Opposite Words in English

Below is the list of common opposite words in English, organized alphabetically from A to Z.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y

Z

Opposite Words in English Exercises

Exercise 1: Match the words on the left with their opposites on the right.

Answer Key:

1. Happy – Sad
2. Slow – Fast
3. Old – New
4. Empty – Full
5. Hot – Cold
6. Tall – Short
7. Young – Old
8. Close – Open
9. Clean – Dirty
10. Down – Up

Exercise 2: Match the words on the left with their opposites on the right.

Answer Key:

1. Praise – Blame
2. Expand – Shrink
3. Generous – Stingy
4. Emerge – Submerge
5. Prosperous – Destitute
6. Construct – Demolish
7. Compose – Decompose
8. Flexible – Rigid
9. Authentic – Counterfeit
10. Abundant – Scarce
11. Elated – Depressed
12. Optimize – Compromise
13. Ascend – Descend
14. Diligent – Lazy
15. Hinder – Facilitate