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Synonyms are words of the same grammatical class (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.) that

have similar meaning. No word means exactly the same as any other word and, therefore,

there are no exact synonyms in English.

Certain words may convey the same general notion, e.g. slay, kill, murder, execute and

slaughter. Though they are used in different senses and in different contexts, they may betreated as synonyms. Read the examples given below.

He was slain on the battlefield. He was killed in action. The robbers killed him and looted his property. He was murdered in cold blood. The criminal was executed. The sheep were all slaughtered.

A list of synonyms is given below. No such list, of course, can be comprehensive.

Students may refer to RogetsThesaurus

for a further list of synonyms.

abbreviateabridge, shorten

abstainrefrain

absurdridiculousaccomplishachieve, performadversitycalamity, misfortune

adversaryopponent, enemy

alterationchangeauthenticgenuine

autocratdespot, tyrant

avariciousgreedyaversiondislike, antipathybiasprejudice

blendmix, mingle

bondageslaverybriskvigorous

checkrestrain, stop, curb

compelcoerce, forcecompetitionrivalry

comprehendunderstand, grasp

confergrant

confessadmitconfuseconfound, perplex

consciousaware

contemplatemeditate

contraryoppositecourteouspolite, civil

degenerationdeterioration

deplorableregrettable, lamentable

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despisescorn, disdain

denyrefuse

dexterousclever, skilfuldismalgloomy

dizzygiddy, dazed, unsteady

eccentricpeculiar, oddefficientable, competentenduresuffer, tolerate

energyforce, vigour

enormoushuge, immenseeternaltimeless, perpetual

famouscelebrated, renowned

feebleweak, infirm

felicityhappiness, blissferociousfierce, savage

flashyshowy, gaudy

frailtyweakness, failing, foiblefrankcandid, open

generaluniversalgentletender, mild, kind

gigantichuge, stupendous

gigglelaugh, tittergravesober, serious

griefsorrow, pain, agony

guard- defend, protect

hastyrashhazardousrisky

hideousrepulsive, ugly

hinderobstruct, prevent

holysacredhumblemeek

idlelazy, indolent

illegalunlawful, lawlessimpudentimpertinent, insolent

inciteinstigate, provoke

irritationvexation, annoyance

jealousenviousjeermock, sneer

juvenileyouthful

keepercustodiankindbenevolent

laconicbrief, concise

latentdormant, hiddenlaxloose, negligent, careless

lenienttolerant, gentle, mild

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liberalgenerous

libertyfreedom, independence

loyalfaithful, truemadinsane

magnificentsplendid, stately

magnifyexaggerate, glorifymaladyillness, diseasemarvelmiracle, wonder

miserlystingy, closefisted, niggardly

miserysuffering, tribulationmodestbashful, unassuming

mournlament

naveartless, simple

nastyfilthy, dirtynoblelofty, illustrious

normstandard

novicebeginner

obscenefilthy, indecentobstaclehindranceobstinatestubborn

obviousclear, evident

oddstrange, peculiaropportunityoccasion

optionchoice

pardonforgive, excuse

permitallowpiousdevout, godly, religious

preciseexact

prematurehasty

proficientadept, expertprofuselavish, extravagant

progenyoffspring, descendants

prudentdiscreet, wise, sagaciousqueerstrange, eccentric

questsearch

quitleave, depart

quivertremble, shiverrarescarce, infrequent

rememberrecollect, recall

reservedreticentrespectesteem, regard

restraintrestriction, curb

revengevengeance, retributionreverenceveneration

rudeimpolite, discourteous

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savagebarbarous, cruel

scoldrebuke, reprove, reprimand, censure

severestern, strictshybashful, coy

slanderdefamation

slycrafty, cunningsolitarylonelysuperfluousunnecessary, needless

sympathycompassion, fellow-feeling

tacitsilent, unspokentedioustiresome

tendersoft, delicate

thinslender, lean

thriftyfrugal, economicalthriveprosper, flourish

timidshy, diffident

traditioncustom, conventiontransparentclear, lucid

ubiquitousomnipotent

ultimatefinal, last

usualcommon, ordinaryvanquishconquer, defeat

venompoison

vulgarcoarse, indecentwinsomecharming, attractive

wizardmagician

zealenthusiasm

Antonyms

Antonyms are words of the same grammatical class that have opposite meanings.

English Vocabulary

Antonyms

Antonyms are words of the same grammatical class that have opposite meanings.

A list of antonyms is given below. For a comprehensive list, consult a good thesaurus.

abovebelow, beneath

abstractconcrete

acceptreject

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acquitcondemn

advanceretreat

affirmdenyaffluencepoverty

aggravatealleviate, lessen

agreedifferallowforbidanalysissynthesis

ancestordescendant

ancientmodernaristocratcommoner

arrivedepart

ascentdescent

assentdissentassetliability

attractrepel

awakeasleepbarrenfertile

basenoble

beliefdoubt

benedictionmaledictionbenevolentmalevolent

boldtimid

boomslumpbraverycowardice

brightdim, dull

carnalspiritual

centrifugalcentripetalcheapdear, costly

cheerfulgloomy

cleverstupidcommonrare

compulsoryoptional

concorddiscordconfidentdiffident

createdestroy

dawndusk

debtorcreditordeepshallow

defensiveoffensive

deliberateunintentional, accidental

diligentcrazydiluteconcentrated

dwarfgiant

elevationdepressionexcludeinclude

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exitentrance

exoticindigenous

expandcontractexplicitimplicit

externalinternal

extravagantfrugal, thrifty

famousobscure

fatlean, thinfictitiousreal

forgetremember

frequentrare

freshstalefriendlyhostile

gatherscatter

generalparticular, special

generousmeangradualabrupt, sudden

guiltyinnocentharshgentlehastyleisurely

haughtymeek

heavylighthitmiss

hollowsolid

honourshame

hopedespairhost- guest

hurtheal

idealactual

idlebusyimaginationreality

increasedecrease

industriousindolent, lazyinferiorsuperior

inhaleexhale

inputoutput

joysorrowjuniorsenior

kindcruel

kindleextinguishknowledgeignorance

lamentrejoice

laterearlierlatterformer

leadfollow

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lendborrow

lethire

liberateenslaveliteralfigurative

loosetight

losefindmajorminormasculinefeminine

materialspiritual

memoryoblivionmildsevere, stern

miserspendthrift

monogamypolygamy

monotonyvariety, diversity

navesophisticated

narrowbroadnativeforeign

naturalartificialneutralpartialobservereverse

oddeven

offerrefuseoftenseldom

omissioncommission

optimisticpessimistic

oralwrittenorientaloccidental

originalduplicate, copy

ostensibleactual

partlywhollypermanenttemporary

permitprohibit

pleasurepainpracticetheory

pragmaticidealistic

praiseblame

precedesucceedpridehumility

profitloss

progressregressprogressiveretrograde

promotedemote

publicprivatequietnoisy

queernormal

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victorydefeat

virtuevice

voluntarycompulsorywaxwane

zenithnadir