Autoantonyms

Auto-antonym has Greek roots meaning a word that is the opposite of itself. They have variously been called contranyms, contronyms, antilogies, Janus words (after the two-faced Greek mythical figure, from which "January" also derives), and enantiodromes.

Below is a list af many such words, and their associated opposite (or near-opposite) meanings. See the bottom of the page for an explanation of how such contradictory meanings can come about.

adumbrate   verb	• to clarify • to cast a shadow over
aught   noun	• anything • nothing
bill   noun	• invoice (e.g. in a restaurant) • money; banknote
bolt   verb	• to secure in place • to dash away suddenly
bound   adj./verb	• restrained (e.g. by rope) • to spring; leap
buckle   verb	• to fasten • to come undone; give way; collapse
cleave   verb	• to adhere; stick together • to cut apart; divide
clip   verb	• to fasten together; hold tightly • to cut apart; cut off (e.g. with shears)
comprise   verb	• to contain; include • to be composed of; consist of
custom   adjective	• usual; normal • special; unique
dust   verb	• to remove fine particles from (e.g. when cleaning) • to sprinkle fine particles onto
fast   adverb	• fixed firmly in place • moving quickly; speedy
fine   adjective	• just meets minimum standards; satisfactory • considerably better than average; excellent
give out   verb	• to produce; distribute • to stop producing; cease functioning
handicap   noun/verb	• advantage (e.g. in sport) • disadvantage; disability
hold up   verb	• to support; cope • to hinder; delay
impregnable   adjective	• impossible to enter (e.g. of a fortress) • able to be impregnated
lease   verb	• to lend; rent out • to borrow; hire
left   verb	• departed from • remaining
let   verb	• to allow; grant permission • to prevent (e.g. "without let or hindrance")
literally   adverb	• actually; really • figuratively; virtually
model   noun	• archetype; example • copy; replica
moot   adjective	• debatable; arguable • academic; irrelevant
overlook   verb	• to examine; watch over • to fail to notice; miss
oversight   noun	• watchful care; supervision • overlooking; omission
peer   noun	• an equal; fellow (e.g. classmate) • a nobleman; person of higher rank
put   adj./verb	• to begin to move hurriedly • stationary (e.g. "stay put")
put out   verb	• to generate; produce • to extinguish; put an end to
puzzle   verb	• to pose a problem • to solve a problem
quantum   adjective	• very small (e.g. in Physics) • very large (e.g. "quantum leap")
ravel   verb	• to tangle; complicate • to disentangle; separate
rent   verb	• to lend; lease out • to borrow; hire
resign   verb	• to quit; give up • to sign up again
root   verb	• to remove completely • to become firmly established
sanction   verb/noun	• to endorse; authorise • a punitive action
sanguine   adjective	• murderous • cheerfully optimistic
scan   verb	• to examine closely • to glance at hastily
screen   verb	• to view; show • to conceal; shield
seed   verb	• to remove seeds from • to add seeds to
set   verb	• to fix in place • to flow; move on
shank   noun	• latter part of a period of time • early part of a period of time
skin   verb	• to cover with a skin • to remove the skin
splice   verb	• to join together • to cut in two
strike   verb	• to miss (e.g. in baseball) • to hit; collide with
table   verb	• to propose; suggest • to postpone; shelve
temper   verb	• to soften; mollify • to strengthen (e.g. a metal)
trim   verb	• to cut pieces off (e.g. fingernails) • to add to; ornament
weather   verb	• to withstand; stand up to • to wear away
wind up   verb	• to start; prepare • to end; conclude

The Origin of Autoantonyms

Related page: What is an antonym?

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