Synonyms and Antonyms: Words That Match and Words That Clash
Grade 2 · English · Study Guide
Learn about words that mean the same thing and words that mean the opposite.
Words are powerful tools — and when you know synonyms and antonyms, your tool box gets a lot bigger! A synonym is a word that means the same thing (or almost the same thing) as another word. 'Happy' and 'glad' are synonyms. 'Big' and 'large' are synonyms. Using synonyms makes your writing more interesting because you do not have to use the same word over and over.
An antonym is a word that means the OPPOSITE. 'Hot' and 'cold' are antonyms. 'Happy' and 'sad' are antonyms. 'Up' and 'down' are antonyms. Antonyms help you describe differences and contrasts in your writing.
Here is a trick for remembering these terms: SYNONYM starts with S and so does SAME. ANTONYM starts with A and has the word 'anti' in it — anti means against, which helps you remember it means opposite!
Good writers use synonyms to add variety and avoid repeating the same words. Instead of writing 'The big dog was big and the big yard was big,' a good writer might write 'The large dog was huge and the enormous yard was spacious.' Much more interesting!
| Word | Synonyms |
|---|---|
| happy | glad, joyful, cheerful, pleased |
| big | large, huge, enormous, giant |
| fast | quick, speedy, swift, rapid |
| sad | unhappy, gloomy, miserable, upset |
| small | little, tiny, miniature, petite |
| Word | Antonym |
|---|---|
| hot | cold |
| up | down |
| happy | sad |
| fast | slow |
| big | small |
| light | dark |
Key terms
- synonym
- A word that means the same or nearly the same as another word
- antonym
- A word that means the opposite of another word
- thesaurus
- A reference book that lists synonyms and antonyms for words
Flashcards
- synonym
- A word that means the same or nearly the same (happy = glad)
- antonym
- A word that means the opposite (hot ↔ cold)
- happy synonyms
- glad, joyful, cheerful, pleased, delighted
- big synonyms
- large, huge, enormous, giant, massive
- fast synonyms
- quick, speedy, swift, rapid, hasty
- hot/cold antonym pair
- hot ↔ cold — a classic antonym pair
Practice questions
Which word is a synonym for 'happy'?
- sad
- glad
- angry
- tired
Show answer
Answer: glad
'Glad' means the same as 'happy' — both describe a feeling of joy. They are synonyms.
A word that means the opposite of another word is called an ___.
Show answer
Answer: antonym
An antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word.
'Big' and 'large' are synonyms.
Show answer
Answer: True
'Big' and 'large' both mean the same thing — something that takes up a lot of space. They are synonyms.
What is an antonym for 'hot'?
- warm
- cool
- cold
- heat
Show answer
Answer: cold
'Cold' is the opposite of 'hot' — they are antonyms. 'Cool' is close but not the strongest opposite.
Synonyms mean exactly identical things with zero difference.
Show answer
Answer: False
Synonyms are similar but not always identical. 'Happy' and 'ecstatic' are synonyms, but ecstatic means VERY happy — there is a shade of difference.
Fun facts
- A thesaurus is a book FULL of synonyms — the name comes from the Greek word for 'treasure chest.' It is literally a treasure chest of words!
- Some words have dozens of synonyms — the word 'said' has over 100 synonyms, including whispered, shouted, muttered, and exclaimed!
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