2.8 Synonyms and antonyms

We all have worked with the concepts of synonym and antonym since elementary school. They are certainly very useful when trying to explain the meaning of an unknown word: you can mention another more known word with a similar meaning, or one with an opposite meaning. But ‘exact’ synonyms or antonyms are really difficult to find. Many words may have similar meanings, but they cannot be used in the same contexts. Something similar happens with antonyms, as words may have more than one opposite depending on the situation in which you use them or the other words they appear with.

LAS Activity 209. Synonyms and antonyms

Instructions

1. Match all of the following adjectives with an appropriate definition.

a. Having little or no importance.

b. Without error.

c. Person who is intolerant of any ideas other than his or her own and whose opinion is formed beforehand, especially an unfavourable one based on inadequate facts.

d. Of a kind not seen before, of the immediate present, in progress.

e. Not prejudiced towards or against any particular side or party, having a mind receptive to new ideas.

f. Dating from very long ago, outmoded.

g. Absolutely necessary, requiring or compelling speedy action or attention.

h. Defective or imperfect, not of the highest quality or importance.

2. Now, would you say the adjectives in the same letter (a-h) are synonyms? Can you sort out their relation as antonyms?

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The previous activity has actually been adapted from an English coursebook exercise (Headway Advanced, Student’s Book, p. 112) which deals with synonyms and antonyms in context. The point of the exercise is precisely to make students aware of the difference between similar words in terms of use. You may say old and antique are synonyms, but can you say ‘an antique woman’? Evidently, ‘old woman’ is a better combination, but you might prefer to use ‘elderly’ depending on the situation, don’t you think?

And that is not all. Would you say that an ‘old shop’ and an ‘antique shop’ is the same? Well, they’re certainly not. And what about opposites? Are ‘old’ and ‘young’ an example of antonyms? A ‘young woman’ as an opposite to an ‘old woman’ sounds alright, doesn’t it? What about a ‘young DVD’? No way, right? A ‘new DVD’ definitely works better, but young and new cannot really be considered synonyms, can they? After all, synonyms and antonyms are not such simple concepts, are they?