antonym of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "antonym of" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing words that have opposite meanings. For example, "The antonym of 'hot' is 'cold'." Alternative expressions include "opposite of" and "contrary to."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

36 human-written examples

The antonym of doppelgänger".

The New Yorker

Antonym of humidity.

The New Yorker

What is the antonym of "bubble"?

The New Yorker

After all, the word "anecdotal" is colloquially used as an antonym of "factual".

The Guardian

Comfort: something that has now become the very antonym of luxury.

The New York Times - Magazine

Stiller understands that he will never be Cary Grant — that he is the antonym of suave.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

Stream "Antonyms of Beauty" on Vimeo.

The New Yorker

Exceptional and extraordinary, which are actually antonyms of normal, are what many schools expect from a typical student.

The New York Times

(One of the essay's main characters, a homeless man from Haiti who calls himself Frenchie, is the subject of Allah's 2013 film "Antonyms of Beauty," which is available online).

The New Yorker

It caught on, and for the current election cycle they have overhauled their software for an array of new tricks, like displaying antonyms of the words the candidates say.

The New York Times - Arts

He works alone, with a still camera, a video camera, and a film camera, at the corner of 125th Street and Lexington Avenue; "Antonyms of Beauty" is centered on a man called Frenchie who's there at the corner trying to score drugs (he's a K2 user) and with whom Allah speaks frankly about the effort.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In general writing, "opposite of" is often more natural, but "antonym of" adds precision in academic or literary analysis.

Common error

Do not use "antonym of" when describing people or physical objects unless you are speaking metaphorically about their symbolic meaning. For example, use "opposite of" when referring to a physical direction or a person's personality rather than "antonym of".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "antonym of" functions as a relational noun phrase used to establish a semantic link between two words with opposite meanings. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it often acts as a predicate nominative or as part of a defining clause to clarify a concept by showing what it is not.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

25%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Social Media

4%

Formal & Business

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "antonym of" is a well-established and correct linguistic tool for identifying semantic opposites. Data from Ludwig shows it is most frequently used in News & Media and Scientific publications to provide clarity and contrast. While ""opposite of"" serves as a more conversational alternative, "antonym of" remains the preferred choice for precise writing and lexical discussions. Ludwig AI highlights that it appears in highly authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, reinforcing its status as a standard part of professional English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

opposite of

Most common and less technical alternative for general contexts.

antithesis of

More formal and suggests a direct or philosophical contrast.

contrary to

Often used to describe ideas or facts that oppose a certain statement.

reverse of

Focuses on the flipped order or position of a concept.

inverse of

Common in mathematical, logical or technical contexts.

obverse of

A very formal term often referring to the other side of a coin or argument.

contradictory to

Emphasizes the logical incompatibility between two things.

counterpart to

Describes a thing that corresponds to another but often with a different function.

negative of

Used when describing an opposition in terms of polarity or visual representation.

flip side of

An idiomatic way to describe the contrasting aspect of a situation.

FAQs

How do you use "antonym of" in a sentence?

You can use it to define a word's opposite, such as "The "antonym of" 'happy' is 'sad'". It is frequently seen in educational and linguistic contexts.

What is a common alternative to "antonym of"?

The most frequent alternative is ""opposite of"", which is less technical and more widely used in everyday conversation.

Is "antonym of" used in academic writing?

Yes, as shown in Ludwig, it is very common in scientific journals like PlosOne and encyclopedias to describe binary oppositions in data or concepts.

Can I use "antonym of" to describe a person?

It is usually reserved for words, but writers sometimes use it creatively to describe a person who represents the total reverse of another, such as being the "antithesis of" their predecessor.