What Are Contronyms?
A contronym (or auto-antonym) is a word with contradictory meanings. For example, dust is a verb that means “to remove dust from a surface,” but it can also mean “to cover lightly with a powdered substance.”
- I asked Ian to dust the furniture before he left.
- I was taught to dust the counter with flour before rolling the dough.
What Is a Contronym?
A contronym (also known as an auto-antonym, among other terms) is a word that has two meanings that are the opposite of each other. For example, the verb cleave can mean “to split or cut something,” but it can also mean “to stick closely to.”
You may be wondering why contronyms exist in the first place, and we don’t blame you. They can be extremely confusing, whether you’re a native speaker or an English language learner.
There are a few reasons why contronyms exist. One is that a word may have a different etymology (or origin) than another word, but coincidentally, they happen to share the same form. Cleave is an example of this type of contronym.
Additionally, the English language is ever-evolving, and therefore, with time, some words acquire different and opposite definitions. Think of sanction, which can mean “to permit” or “to penalize.”
Another reason that contronyms exist is due to the differences in English dialects. For example, in American English, the verb table means “to postpone the consideration of,” whereas, in British English, it means “to present formally for discussion or consideration.”
Now that we know what contronyms are and why they exist, let’s get to the fun part! Below, you’ll find a list of seventeen kooky contronyms.
It’s not your fault; contronyms are really confusing!
Contronym Examples
1. Bound
Bound can mean “going to a destination” or “being restrained from movement.”
2. Buckle
Buckle can mean “to fasten or secure” or “to break or collapse.”
3. Consult
Consult can mean “to seek advice or information from someone” or “to provide professional advice or service.”
4. Fine
Fine can mean “of high quality” or “acceptable; okay.”
5. Hold Up
Hold up can mean “to support or sustain something” or “to delay or hinder something.”
6. Lease
Lease can mean “to rent a property to someone” or “to rent a property from someone.”
7. Left
Left can mean “leave” or “remain.”
8. Off
Off can mean “activated” or “deactivated.”
9. Overlook
Overlook can mean “fail to notice” or “to look over.”
10. Peer
Peer can mean “a person of nobility” or “an equal.”
11. Quite
Quite can mean “to a significant extent” or “to a minor extent.”
12. Screen
Screen can mean “to conceal” or “to present.”
13. Throw out
Throw out can mean “to discard something” or “to offer something.”
14. Wind up
Wind up can mean “to bring something to a conclusion or finish” or “to start something.”
15. Weather
Weather can mean “to endure” or “to wear away.”
Let’s Weather English Complexities Together
There are many more contronyms in English. The list above includes just a few that you may be using in your everyday language. These words may be confusing when you see their definitions side by side, but the context of a sentence will help you make out which sense of the word is being used.
Contronyms are just one of the many strange English complexities. There are also homophones, homographs, and homonyms; seemingly nonsensical idioms; words that are difficult to spell; and much, much more.
As an advanced, multilingual writing assistant, LanguageTool can help you learn the ins and outs of English. Give it a try!
