50 Contronyms
"Words that are their own opposites," contronyms (contranym is a variant spelling) are also known as Janus words, antagonyms, and autoantonyms. These are words that have developed contradictory meanings.
- Sanction - To permit or to penalize
- Dust - To remove dust or to sprinkle dust
- Left - Departed from or remaining behind
- Seed - To plant seeds or to remove seeds
- Weather - To withstand (as in "weather a storm") or to erode
- Bound - tied/restricted from going
- Clip - To attach or to cut off
- Trim - To decorate or to remove excess
- Cleave - To split apart or to cling together
- Dusting - Removing dust or sprinkling powder
- Fast - Quick or firmly fixed (immobile)
- Apology - An expression of regret or a defense/justification
- Strike - To hit or to miss (as in baseball)
- Bolt - To secure in place or to flee quickly
- Resign - To quit a job or to sign again
- Finished - Completed or destroyed (as in "you're finished!")
- Execute - To carry out (a task) or to kill
- Help - To assist or to prevent (e.g., "I can't help it")
- Screen - To display or to hide (as in screening a movie vs. screening from the sun)
- Model - A replica to copy or an example to avoid
- Trimmed - Decorated or reduced
- Dusty - Covered with dust or lightly powdered
- Sick - Ill or awesome (slang)
- Go - To proceed or to collapse (e.g., "The engine just went")
- Left off - Started again where you stopped, or excluded
- Ravel - To tangle or to untangle
- Out - Visible (e.g., stars are out) or invisible (lights are out)
- Off - Not functioning or activated (e.g., "The alarm went off")
- Lease - To rent out or to rent from someone
- Oversight - Careful management or missed detail
- Oversight - Careful supervision or an error from neglect
- Sanguine - Cheerful or bloodthirsty · (rare but contrasting meanings)
- Peer - Equal or to look closely
- Out of - Lacking or originating from (e.g., "out of love")
- Strike down - To nullify (a law) or to enforce (as in striking down dissent)
- Wind up - To end or to get started (as in winding up a toy)
- Rent - To pay for use or to rip apart
- Throw out - To discard or to propose (e.g., an idea)
- Scour - To search thoroughly or to scrub vigorously
- Weathered - Withstood or worn down by exposure
- Flog - To promote aggressively or to beat severely
- Dust-off - To clean or to reuse something old
- Stone - To pelt with stones or to remove stones (as in fruit)
- Disciplined - Well-behaved or punished
- Trip - To stumble or to travel
- Consult - To offer advice or to ask for it
- Trim down - To slim (reduce) or to enhance appearance
- Pop - To suddenly appear or disappear
- Blunt - To dull or to speak sharply
- Hold up - To support or to delay
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