Synonym vs Antonym

Difference between Synonym and Antonym

By Theydiffer - September 28, 2016

The English language is a colorful and beautiful one because it doesn’t have only one particular word to describe something. It is not content with having just one word to express a concept. We have synonyms and antonyms to use. But what are these two terms about? For people whose main language is different, it can be hard to differentiate these two.

Definitions

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Synonyms are words that have similar meanings. They are often used to help people communicate their feelings in other ways. Synonyms can be used interchangeably.

Examples:

Mary’s answer surprised me.
Mary’s response surprised me.

The two words, answer and response, have the same meaning and can be interchanged. Not every synonym can be interchangeable. For example, nibbling a cookie is different from devouring a cookie. Nibble is taking a small bite while devour is swallowing it whole.

Examples of synonyms

Nouns

Power and force
Important and significant
Baby and infant
Car and automobile
Freedom and liberty
Organization, management, institution
King, monarch, ruler, czar
Image, illustration, icon, figure
Home, house, residence, dwelling

Adjectives

Intelligent, smart, brilliant, bright
Beautiful, pretty, gorgeous, stunning
Empty, vacant, abandoned, uninhabited
Sad, unhappy, sorrowful, distressed
Big, huge, enormous, gigantic

Verbs

Run, sprint, dash
Leap, jump, hop, skip
Talk, speak, communicate, chat
Smile, beam, grin

Antonyms are the opposite of synonyms and they are two words that are the opposite of each other.

Examples of antonyms

Nouns

Noise – silence
Beginning – end
Summer – winter
Friend – enemy
Day – night
Life – death
South – north

Adjectives

Beautiful – ugly
Courteous – rude
Clever – stupid
Empty – full
Cheerful – dreary
Dry – wet
Healthy – sick

Verbs

Increase – decrease
Brighten – fade
Encourage – discourage
Hide – reveal
Approve – disapprove
Create – destroy
Close – open