Choose the antonym

Learning Objectives Define the word 'antonym' in their own words. Identify the correct antonym for a given word from a list of three choices. Explain why two words are antonyms by describing their opposite meanings. Generate a simple antonym for common adjectives like 'big', 'hot', and 'happy'. Use a pair of antonyms in a single sentence to show contrast. Differentiate between an antonym (opposite meaning) and a synonym (same meaning). What's the opposite of a giant, noisy elephant? 🐘 A tiny, quiet mouse! 🐁 Let's learn all about these special 'opposite' words. In this lesson, you will become an expert at finding antonyms, which are words that have opposite meanings. Learning about antonyms will make your reading...

TermDefinitionExample AntonymA word that means the exact opposite of another word.The antonym for 'hot' is 'cold'. OppositeSomething that is completely different from something else.'Up' is the opposite of 'down'. AdjectiveA word that describes a person, place, or thing (a noun).The *happy* dog wagged its tail. 'Happy' is the adjective. VerbA word that shows an action.Please *stop* the car. 'Stop' is the verb. SynonymA word that has the same or almost the same meaning as another word. It is the opposite of an antonym!A synonym for 'big' is 'large'. Word PairTwo words that are often looked at together to show a relationship, like opposites.'On' and 'off' are an antonym word pair.

The Opposite Meaning Rule An antonym must have a meaning that is completely opposite to the given word. Use this rule to check your answer. Ask yourself, 'Is this word truly the opposite?' For example, 'sad' is the opposite of 'happy', but 'tired' is just a different feeling, not the opposite. The Same Part of Speech Rule Antonyms are usually the same part of speech. If your word is an adjective (describing word) like 'tall', its antonym will also be an adjective, like 'short'. If your word is a verb (action word) like 'push', its antonym will be a verb, like 'pull'. The Prefix Clue Sometimes, adding a prefix like 'un-', 'in-', or 'dis-' to the beginning of a w...