Synonyms and antonyms · Kindergarten
In Kindergarten you learn: opposites.
Synonyms are words with the same or nearly the same meaning: big and large. Antonyms are words with opposite meanings: hot and cold. Knowing them helps you understand new words, avoid repeating yourself and choose the best word for what you mean.
Key facts
- Antonyms are opposites: early/late, empty/full, win/lose.
- One word can have different antonyms: old is the opposite of new (a car) and of young (a person).
Worked examples
Example 1
Match the opposites: big, fast, open with shut, small, slow.
Answer: big–small, fast–slow, open–shut
Example 2
Find a word that means the same as little: tall, small, long.
Answer: small
Example 3
Give the opposite of each word: hot, up, happy.
Answer: cold, down, sad