What is an antonym?

An antonym is a word that means the opposite of another. Hot and cold are antonyms, and so are up and down. Learning antonyms helps children understand shades of meaning.

Examples

• hot and cold.
• big and small.
• happy and sad.

Quick facts

• Antonyms are opposites; synonyms are words that mean the same.
• Some words have several antonyms, like 'light' (dark or heavy).