| 1. | add | increase | accumulate | summate | tally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| subtract | decrease | deduct | take away | reduce | |
| 2. | admit | agree | allow | grant | permit |
| disagree | deny | dispute | differ | reject | |
| 3. | advance | come nearer | approach | move closer | go toward |
| retreat | go away | leave | depart | skedaddle | |
| 4. | alone | separate | apart | on one’s own | solo |
| together | collectively | unitedly | in unison | jointly | |
| 5. | approve | laud | compliment | praise | commend |
| disapprove | rebuke | reproach | condemn, | blame |
| 6. | begin | start | introduce | induce | initiate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| end | stop | complete | terminate | finish | |
| 7. | big | huge | large | mammoth | great |
| small | tiny | diminutive | minute | bantam | |
| 8. | bright | luminous | shiny | resplendent | brilliant |
| dark | gloomy | dull | drab | dim | |
| 9. | clean | hygienic | spotless | washed | unstained |
| dirty | filthy | foul | soiled | stained | |
| 10. | combine | connect | mix | fuse | merge |
| split | divide | sever | break up | separate |
| 11. | concrete | actual | factual | real | tangible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| abstract | ideal | conceptual | recondite | intangible | |
| 12. | courteous | well-mannered | considerate | polite | respectful |
| discourteous | bad-mannered | inconsiderate | rude | disrespectful | |
| 13. | enjoy | take pleasure in | relish | delight in | like |
| dislike | detest, | resent, | scorn, | loathe | |
| 14. | easy | straightforward, | plain sailing, | child’s play, | simple |
| difficult | arduous, | demanding, | strenuous, | hard | |
| 15. | encourage | aid, | boost, | spur, | support |
| discourage | dishearten, | dispirit, | deter, | restrain |
| 16. | excellent | superior, | outstanding, | exceptional, | superb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mediocre | inferior, | second-rate, | below-par, | shoddy | |
| 17. | find | notice, | uncover, | detect, | spot |
| lose | mislay, | misplace, | displace, | squander | |
| 18. | familiar | well-known, | everyday, | common, | accustomed |
| unfamiliar | unknown, | unusual, | uncommon, | unaccustomed | |
| 19. | fast | speedy, | quick, | rapid, | snap |
| slow | unhurried, | tardy, | sluggish, | slack | |
| 20. | free | self-determining, | sovereign, | autonomous, | unrestricted |
| bound | limited, | confined, | restrained, | restricted |
| 21. | friend | buddy, | companion, | mate, | pal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| foe | enemy, | opponent, | rival, | adversary | |
| 22. | full | filled, | jammed, | loaded, | saturated |
| empty | void, | bare, | depleted, | vacant | |
| 23. | good | virtuous, | honourable, | worthy, | moral |
| bad | evil, | base, | vile, | wicked | |
| 24. | high | raised, | elevated, | lofty, | towering |
| low | sunken, | subsided, | low-set, | bottomward | |
| 25. | happy | joyful, | glad, | elated, | jubilant |
| sad | miserable, | wretched, | melancholy, | down |
| 26. | hope | anticipation, | expectation, | optimism, | promise, |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| despair | hopelessness, | anguish, | pessimism, | gloom | |
| 27. | hot | blazing, | boiling, | scorching, | sizzling |
| cold | arctic, | chilly, | freezing, | icy | |
| 28. | include | insert, | incorporate, | keep, | contain |
| omit | exclude, | delete, | drop, | eliminate | |
| 29. | kind | gentle, | soft-hearted, | affectionate, | cordial |
| mean | hostile, | callous, | malicious, | nasty | |
| 30. | leader | master, | boss, | director, | commander |
| follower | minion | subordinate, | yes-man, | lackey |
| 31. | light | bright, | luminous, | illuminated, | shiny |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| darkness | gloom, | twilight, | obscurity, | murkiness | |
| 32. | love | adoration, | affection, | devotion, | fondness |
| hate | animosity, | enmity, | ill-will, | aversion | |
| 33. | make | create, | build, | manufacture, | produce |
| destroy | break, | damage, | demolish, | smash | |
| 34. | mind | mentality, | consciousness, | intellect, | wits |
| body | physique, | frame, | torso, | trunk | |
| 35. | minor | small, | slight, | unimportant, | inconsequential |
| major | big, | considerate, | important, | consequential |
| 36. | modest | shy, | coy, | demure, | diffident |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| immodest | shameless, | brazen, | arrogant, | coarse | |
| 37. | near | close-by, | nearby, | adjacent, | in close proximity |
| far | distant, | remote, | removed, | far-off | |
| 38. | neat | orderly, | tidy, | spic-and-span, | organised |
| untidy | unkempt, | disorderly, | messy, | jumbled | |
| 39. | often | usually, | frequently, | generally, | repeatedly |
| seldom | sometimes, | infrequently, | occasionally, | hardly ever | |
| 40. | peace | harmony, | agreement, | reconciliation, | accord |
| war | battle, | hostility, | strife, | (armed) conflict |
| 41. | plain | simple, | basic, | unembellished, | unpretentious |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decorated | adorned, | patterned, | embellished, | ornate | |
| 42. | question | inquiry, | query, | investigation, | inquest |
| answer | reply, | response, | retort, | rejoinder | |
| 43. | right | fair, | just, | ethical, | proper |
| wrong | unfair, | unjust, | immoral, | crooked | |
| 44. | same | alike, | identical, | equal, | similar |
| different | contrasting, | distinct, | unequal, | dissimilar | |
| 45. | silence | stillness, | quiet, | calmness, | hush |
| thunder | blast, | boom, | crash, | roar |
| 46. | soft | fluffy, | flexible, | cushioned, | pliable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hard | unbendable, | inflexible, | rigid, | unpliable | |
| 47. | tired | exhausted, | weary, | fatigued, | drained |
| energized | refreshed, | invigorated, | perked up, | excited | |
| 48. | trust | belief, | confidence, | dependence, | faith |
| distrust | suspicion, | skepticism, | misgiving, | mistrust | |
| 49. | truth | veracity, | validity, | gospel, | authenticity |
| falsehood | lie, | sham, | deception, | fraud | |
| 50. | wealth | riches, | resources, | money, | affluence |
| poverty | want, | hardship, | neediness, | destitution |
*Three types of antonyms (gradable, complementary and relational) can be distinguished. Word meanings are context-dependent.