Determine the meaning of words using antonyms in context

Key Notes:

What are Antonyms?

Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. For example:

• Hot and cold
• Happy and sad
• Big and small

Knowing antonyms can help you understand new words when you read!

Using Antonyms in Context

Sometimes, a sentence or paragraph will give you a clue about the meaning of a word by using its antonym. This is called using context clues.

Here’s how it works:

1. Find the unknown word.
2. Look for an antonym of the unknown word in the sentence or nearby sentences.
3. Think about the meaning of the antonym.
4. Figure out the opposite meaning of the antonym. That’s likely the meaning of the unknown word!

Examples

Let’s look at some examples:

“While some students are docile and easy to manage, others are quite rebellious.”

• The antonym of “docile” is “rebellious.” We know “rebellious” means to go against rules or authority.
• Therefore, “docile” probably means the opposite: calm, obedient, and easy to manage.

“The comedian’s jokes were so banal that the audience found them anything but original and funny.”

• The antonyms of “banal” are “original” and “funny.”
• Therefore, “banal” probably means unoriginal, boring, and lacking in freshness.

Practice Time!

Read each sentence and use the antonym to figure out the meaning of the underlined word.

Even though the rest of the class was chatty, Peter remained taciturn.

• What does taciturn probably mean?

Unlike her gregarious sister, Jane prefers to spend time alone reading.

• What does gregarious probably mean?

The path was precarious, so we took an easy, safe route to the summit.

• What does precarious probably mean?

Answers:

1. Taciturn: quiet, reserved, or uncommunicative.
2. Gregarious: sociable, outgoing, or fond of company.
3. Precarious: dangerous, risky, or unstable.
4. Look closely at the sentences around the unknown word.
5. Identify words that have opposite meanings.
6. Think about the context of the sentence.
7. Don’t be afraid to guess! Even if you’re not sure, an educated guess is better than nothing.
8. Practice regularly to improve your vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Summary

In this lesson, we learned how to use antonyms as context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. By identifying antonyms within a sentence or paragraph, we can infer the opposite meaning and gain a better understanding of the word’s definition. Remember to look closely at the surrounding sentences, identify words with opposite meanings, and think about the overall context. With practice, you can become a word detective and unlock the meaning of new words!