ANTONYMS Complete Test
Introduction:
An antonym is a word that is the opposite meaning of another. It comes from the Greek words "anti" for opposite and "onym" for name. Since language is complex, people may at times, disagree on what words are truly opposite in meaning to other words.
In the antonym questions, you will be provided with a word and you would have to choose, from the five choices that follow it. The best antonym (opposite). Antonym questions range from relatively easy ones at the beginning of the test to extremely difficult ones at the end. Do not expect to recognize every word- not even professional writers would be familiar with all of them.
Attempt the antonym question on priority, as they take the least amount of time Go through them quickly. Answer them all, but do not linger too long on any one question, the time you save by answering antonym questions quickly will help you when you get to the time-consuming reading comprehension questions.
Categories of Antonyms:
There are three categories of antonyms:
1. Graded Antonyms
Graded Antonyms deal with levels of the meaning of the words, like if something is not "good", is may still not be "bad." There is a scale involved with some words, and besides good and bad there can be average, fair, excellent, terrible, poor, or satisfactory.
Example:
- Last and first
- Foolish and wise
- Abundant and scarce
- Dark and light
- Dangerous and safe
- Clever and foolish
- Early and late
- Empty and full
- Smart and dumb
- Risky and safe
- Bad and good
- Pretty and ugly
- Best and worst
- Rich and poor
- Cool and hot
- Wet and dry
- Late and early
- Ignorant and educated
- Big and small
- Optimistic and pessimistic
- Excited and bored
- Dull and interesting
2. Complementary Antonyms
Complementary antonyms have a relationship where there is no middle ground. There are only two possibilities, either one or the other.
Example:
- Dead and alive
- Off and on
- Day and night
- Absent and present
- Exit and entrance
- Sink or float
- True or false
- Input and output
- Interior and exterior
- Exhale and inhale
3. Relational Antonyms
Relational antonyms are sometimes considered a subcategory of complementary antonyms. With these pairs, for there to be a relationship, both must exist.
Example:
- Doctor and patient
- Buy and sell
- Predator and prey
- Above and below
- Teach and learn
- Instructor and pupil
- Servant and master