| 1. | absorb | assimilate, | digest, | incorporate, | ingest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| eject | emit, | disperse, | exude, | dissipate | |
| 2. | active | busy, | eager, | animated, | alive |
| passive | idle, | lazy, | inert, | lifeless | |
| 3. | achieve | accomplish, | realise, | attain, | reach |
| fail | give up, | abandon, | surrender, | yield | |
| 4. | affectionate | caring, | kind, | loving, | sympathetic |
| aloof | uncaring, | cold, | antagonistic, | unsympathetic | 5. | afraid | fearful, | anxious, | scared, | apprehensive |
| brave | confident, | audacious, | calm, | unafraid |
| 6. | agree | admit, | allow, | grant, | permit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| disagree | deny, | dispute, | differ, | reject | |
| 7. | begin | start, | commence, | set about, | initiate |
| end | stop, | complete, | terminate, | finish, | |
| 8. | benefit | advantage, | favour, | gain, | profit |
| harm | disadvantage, | detriment, | damage, | loss, | |
| 9. | big | huge, | large, | gigantic, | jumbo |
| small | stop | diminutive, | miniature, | pocket-sized | |
| 10. | bright | luminous, | shiny, | resplendent, | brilliant |
| dark | gloomy, | dull, | drab, | dim |
| 11. | cheap | inexpensive, | economical, | low-cost, | low-priced |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| expensive | pricey, | exorbitant, | excessive, | high-priced | |
| 12. | combine | connect, | mix, | fuse, | merge |
| split | divide, | sever, | break up, | separate | |
| 13. | construct | build up, | assemble, | erect, | manufacture |
| destroy | break, | demolish, | ruin, | smash | |
| 14. | courteous | well-mannered, | considerate, | polite, | respectful |
| discourteous | bad-mannered, | inconsiderate, | rude, | disrespectful | |
| 15. | encourage | aid, | boost, | spur, | support |
| discourage | dishearten, | dispirit, | deter, | restrain |
| 16. | entrance | door, | entry, | access, | port |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| exit | outlet, | way out, | passage out, | egress | |
| 17. | excellent | superb, | outstanding, | first-rate, | superior |
| mediocre | so-so, | below average, | second-rate, | inferior | |
| 18. | fair | impartial, | just, | lawful, | unbiased |
| unfair | partial, | unjust, | dishonest, | biased | |
| 19. | familiar | well-known, | everyday, | common, | accustomed |
| unfamiliar | unknown, | unusual, | uncommon, | unaccustomed | |
| 20. | fast | speedy, | quick, | rapid, | snap |
| slow | unhurried, | tardy, | sluggish, | slack |
| 21. | favourable | beneficial, | suitable, | opportune | appropriate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unfavourable | harmful | unsuitable | inopportune | inappropriate | |
| 22. | Flat | level, | horizontal, | flush, | even |
| Upright | straight-up, | vertical, | erect, | perpendicular | |
| 23. | firm | fixed, | stable, | anchored, | sturdy |
| infirm | Flimsy, | shaky, | rickety, | wobbly | |
| 24. | Flourish | flower, | bloom, | grow, | burgeon |
| Wither | wilt, | fade, | shrink, | droop | |
| 25. | friend | buddy, | companion, | mate, | pal |
| foe | enemy, | opponent, | rival, | adversary |
| 26. | full | filled, | jammed, | loaded, | saturated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| empty | void, | bare, | depleted, | vacant | |
| 27. | funny | comical, | humorous, | loony, | laughable |
| serious | grim, | sombre, | solemn, | weighty | |
| 28. | high | raised, | elevated, | lofty, | towering |
| low | sunken, | subsided, | low-set, | bottomward | |
| 29. | horizontal | flush, | level, | flat, | plane |
| vertical | upright, | perpendicular, | erect, | at right angles to | |
| 30. | hot | blazing, | boiling, | scorching, | sizzling |
| cold | arctic, | chilly, | freezing, | icy |
| 31. | important | significant, | crucial, | valuable, | vital |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| unimportant | insignificant, | negligible, | worthless, | petty | |
| 32. | include | insert, | incorporate, | keep, | contain |
| omit | exclude, | delete, | drop, | eliminate | |
| 33. | inevitable | inescapable, | necessary, | unavoidable, | certain |
| avertible | preventable, | optional, | chance, | stoppable | |
| 34. | joyous | happy, | elated, | ecstatic, | euphoric |
| sad | miserable, | morose, | dismal, | heartbroken | |
| 35. | keep | retain, | save, | maintain, | preserve |
| discard | scrap, | shed, | get rid of, | ditch |
| 36. | kindle | start a fire, | ignite, | light, | inflame |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| extinguish | quench, | smother, | stifle, | darken | |
| 37. | know | grasp, | comprehend, | get the idea, | fathom |
| misunderstand | confuse, | misinterpret, | miss, | misconstrue | |
| 38. | many | scores, | a lot, | tons, | heaps |
| few | hardly any, | a handful, | a scattering, | a small quantity | |
| 39. | mend | repair, | fix, | restore, | rebuild |
| break | damage, | destroy, | smash, | shatter | |
| 40. | near | close-by, | nearby, | adjacent, | in close proximity |
| far | distant, | remote, | removed, | far-off |
| 41. | neat | orderly, | tidy, | spic-and-span, | organised |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| untidy | unkempt, | disorderly, | messy, | jumbled | |
| 42. | often | usually, | frequently, | generally, | repeatedly |
| seldom | sometimes, | infrequently, | occasionally, | hardly ever | |
| 43. | open | accessible, | approachable, | available, | usable |
| closed | limited, | restricted, | shut, | blocked | |
| 44. | peace | harmony, | agreement, | reconciliation, | accord |
| war | battle, | hostility, | strife, | (armed) conflict | |
| 45. | persuade | induce, | cajole, | urge, | coax |
| dissuade | hinder, | discourage, | repel, | subdue |
| 46. | plain | simple, | basic, | unembellished, | unpretentious |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decorated | adorned, | patterned, | embellished, | ornate | |
| 47. | rich | wealthy, | well-off, | well-to-do, | affluent |
| poor | impoverished, | poverty-stricken, | destitute, | needy | |
| 48. | question | inquiry, | query, | investigation, | inquest |
| answer | reply, | response, | retort, | rejoinder | |
| 49. | summit | apex, | peak, | pinnacle, | zenith |
| base | bottom, | lowest point, | foot, | nadir | |
| 50. | travail | work, | toil, | drudgery, | labour |
| idleness | leisure, | dilly-dallying, | relaxation, | dawdling |
*Three types of antonyms (gradable, complementary and relational) can be distinguished. Word meanings are context-dependent.