Antonyms. Vocabulary practice exercise

Antonyms in the English language: how to understand and use

Understanding Antonyms in English: Practice Exercise

Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. They play a crucial role in the English language as they help expand your vocabulary and add flexibility and expressiveness to your speech. Knowing antonyms allows you to communicate more effectively and better understand the context of conversations. In this article, we’ll explore some common antonyms frequently used in English. You’ll have the opportunity to test your knowledge with a specially designed exercise where you must identify the words with opposite meanings. This practice will help you reinforce the material and use antonyms with greater confidence in your speech. This resource is beneficial for English learners of various levels, especially for those looking to enhance their skills in using antonyms in everyday communication.

What Are Antonyms?

Antonyms are words that have meanings opposite to each other. For example, the word “leave” has the antonym “arrive.” Using antonyms allows for more precise expression of thoughts and emotions.

Examples of Antonyms in English

  1. Big [bɪɡ] — Small [smɔːl]
    • The house was big and spacious, but the apartment was small and cozy.
  2. Old [oʊld] — New [nuː]
    • He drives an old car, but she just bought a new one.
  3. Hot [hɒt] — Cold [koʊld]
    • The coffee was too hot to drink, so I added some ice to make it cold.
  4. Fast [fæst] — Slow [sloʊ]
    • She prefers to work at a fast pace, while he likes to take things slow.
  5. Happy [ˈhæpi] — Sad [sæd]
    • The movie made everyone happy, but the ending was a bit sad.
  6. Full [fʊl] — Empty [ˈɛmpti]
    • The glass was full of water, but now it’s empty.
  7. Rich [rɪtʃ] — Poor [pʊər]
    • He grew up in a rich family, but his friend was poor.
  8. Hard [hɑrd] — Easy [ˈiːzi]
    • The exam was hard, but with practice, it became easy.
  9. Bright [braɪt] — Dark [dɑrk]
    • The room was bright in the morning, but it turned dark by evening.
  10. Thick [θɪk] — Thin [θɪn]
    • She wore a thick coat in winter, but a thin jacket in spring.

Vocabulary for the Exercise

  1. Abandon [əˈbændən] — to leave or forsake something
    Example: They had to abandon the ship during the storm.
  2. Absent [ˈæbsənt] — not present
    Example: He was absent from the meeting due to illness.
  3. Active [ˈæktɪv] — involving physical effort; energetic
    Example: She leads an active lifestyle.
  4. Ancient [ˈeɪnʃənt] — belonging to the very distant past
    Example: The pyramids are ancient structures.
  5. Artificial [ˌɑːrtɪˈfɪʃl] — made or produced by humans; not natural
    Example: The flowers were artificial but looked real.
  6. Awful [ˈɔːfəl] — very bad or unpleasant
    Example: The weather was awful during our trip.
  7. Beautiful [ˈbjuːtɪfl] — pleasing to the senses or mind
    Example: The sunset was incredibly beautiful.
  8. Begin [bɪˈɡɪn] — to start or initiate something
    Example: We will begin the meeting at 9 AM.
  9. Brave [breɪv] — showing courage
    Example: The firefighter was very brave during the rescue.
  10. Broad [brɔːd] — having a wide extent or range
    Example: She has a broad knowledge of history.
  11. Complex [ˈkɒmpleks] — consisting of many interconnected parts
    Example: The puzzle was too complex for a child.
  12. Conceal [kənˈsiːl] — to hide or keep something secret
    Example: She tried to conceal her disappointment.
  13. Dangerous [ˈdeɪndʒərəs] — likely to cause harm or injury
    Example: The road was dangerous during the storm.
  14. Decrease [dɪˈkriːs] — to become smaller or less
    Example: The prices decreased after the sale.
  15. Demand [dɪˈmænd] — to ask for something forcefully
    Example: The workers demanded higher pay.
  16. Difficult [ˈdɪfɪkəlt] — not easy; requiring effort
    Example: The exam was very difficult.
  17. Dirty [ˈdɜːrti] — covered or marked with dirt
    Example: The kids came back with dirty clothes.
  18. Dry [draɪ] — free from moisture or liquid
    Example: The desert is a very dry place.
  19. Early [ˈɜːrli] — happening or done before the expected time
    Example: We arrived at the airport early.
  20. End [ɛnd] — the final part of something
    Example: The movie has a surprising end.
  21. Expand [ɪkˈspænd] — to increase in size, range, or amount
    Example: The company plans to expand its operations.
  22. Export [ˈɛkspɔːrt] — to send goods to another country for sale
    Example: The country exports coffee to Europe.
  23. Famous [ˈfeɪməs] — known by many people
    Example: She became famous after the TV show.
  24. Fast [fæst] — moving or capable of moving at high speed
    Example: The car is very fast.
  25. Flexible [ˈflɛksəbl] — able to bend easily without breaking
    Example: The gymnast is extremely flexible.
  26. Forget [fərˈɡɛt] — fail to remember
    Example: Don’t forget to bring your ID.
  27. Gentle [ˈdʒɛntl] — kind, mild, or soft
    Example: She has a very gentle voice.
  28. Heavy [ˈhɛvi] — of great weight
    Example: The box was too heavy to lift.
  29. Include [ɪnˈkluːd] — to contain as part of something
    Example: The package includes everything you need.
  30. Junior [ˈdʒuːniər] — younger or of lower rank
    Example: He is the junior member of the team.
  31. Kind [kaɪnd] — having a friendly, generous, or considerate nature
    Example: She is very kind to everyone.
  32. Lazy [ˈleɪzi] — unwilling to work or use energy
    Example: He was too lazy to clean his room.
  33. Light [laɪt] — not heavy
    Example: The bag is light enough to carry easily.
  34. Major [ˈmeɪdʒər] — important, serious, or significant
    Example: Climate change is a major concern.
  35. Modern [ˈmɒdərn] — relating to the present or recent times
    Example: The building has a very modern design.
  36. Normal [ˈnɔːrməl] — conforming to a standard; usual
    Example: It’s normal to feel nervous before a test.

Antonyms in English: Practice Exercise

Before starting the exercise, it’s important to understand that antonyms are words with opposite meanings. Task: Find the antonym of the following words. For each word, choose the correct antonym from four possible answers.

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Antonyms in the English language: how to understand and use

Practice. Find the antonym of the following words (quiz, test)

High

Clever

Past

Sick

Cautious

Adult

Cry

Pull

Win

Public

Hide

Ill

Absent

Reduce

Bitter

Behind

Brave

Dry

Leave

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Even more information and exercises in the article: Antonyms in English: Definition, Rules and Exercise

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