Some CONTRONYMS

“Words or terms that are their own opposites," Contronyms (Contronym is a variant spelling) are also known as Janus words, Antagonyms, and Autoantonym: These are words that have developed contradictory meanings.

  1. Sanction - To permit or to penalise

  2. Dust - To remove dust or to sprinkle dust

  3. Left - Departed from or remaining behind

  4. Seed - To plant seeds or to remove seeds

  5. Oversight - Careful supervision or an error from neglect

  6. Weather - To withstand (as in "weather a storm") or to erode

  7. Bound - Going somewhere or tied/restricted from going

  8. Clip - To attach or to cut off

  9. Trim - To decorate or to remove excess

  10. Fast - Quick or firmly fixed (immobile)

  11. Strike - To hit or to miss (as in baseball)

  12. Bolt - To secure in place or to flee quickly

  13. Resign - To quit a job or to sign again

  14. Finished - Completed or destroyed (as in "you're finished!”)

  15. Execute - To carry out (a task) or to kill

  16. Help - To assist or to prevent (e.g., “| can't help it”)

  17. Screen - To display or to hide (as in screening a movie vs. screening from the sun)

  18. Model - A replica to copy or an example to avoid

  19. Trimmed - Decorated or reduced

  20. Sick - Ill or awesome (slang)

  21. Left off - Started again where you stopped, or excluded

  22. Out - Visible (e.g., stars are out) or invisible (lights are out)

  23. Off - Not functioning or activated (e.g., "The alarm went off”)

  24. Sanguine - Cheerful or bloodthirsty (rare but contrasting meanings)

  25. Out of - Lacking or originating from (e.g., "out of love”)

  26. Strike down - To nullify (a law) or to enforce (as in striking down dissent)

  27. Wind up - To end or to get started (as in winding up a toy)

  28. Rent - To pay for use or to rip apart (e.g., an idea)

  29. Peer - Equal or look closely

  30. Throw out - To discard or to propose (e.g., an idea)

  31. Scour - To search thoroughly or to scrub vigorously

  32. Flog - To promote aggressively or to beat severely

  33. Dust-off - To clean or to reuse something old

  34. Stone - To pelt with stones or to remove stones (as in fruit)

  35. Disciplined - Well-behaved or punished

  36. Trip - To stumble or to travel

  37. Consult - To offer advice or to ask for it

  38. Pop - To suddenly appear or disappear

  39. Blunt - To dull or to speak sharply

  40. Hold up - To support or to delay