Many verbs in English have verbs with the opposite meaning. Some also have more than one opposite meaning, depending on the way the verb is used.  

 

For example, find and lose are opposites:

- I am trying to find my keys. 

- Did you lose your keys?

 

Win and lose are also opposites:

Ex:

- We are going to win the game today.

- I think we are going to lose the game today

 

Below are some common opposite verbs:

 

➡ buy - sell

➡ open - close

➡ arrive - leave

➡ enter - exit

➡ win - lose

➡ like - dislike

➡ find - lose

➡ love - hate

➡ live - die

➡ laugh - cry

➡ begin - finish

➡ arrive - leave

➡ wake up - fall asleep

➡ lead - follow

➡ get up - go to bed

➡ accept - refuse

➡ drop off - pick up

➡ spend - save

➡ shout - whisper

➡ attack - defend

➡ put on - take off 

➡ allow - prohibit

➡ put up - take down

➡ give - take

➡ turn on - turn off

➡ ask - answer

➡ turn up - turn down

➡ forget - remember

 

You will notice that some opposite verbs have the same root verb, and add the prefixes

mis-, dis-, or un- to express the opposite:

 

- I need to do my homework. 

- I need to undo my mistake.

- The children are behaving well. 

- The children are misbehaving today.

- It is not necessary to understand every single word in a sentence.

- It is easy to misunderstand why someone else does something different from you.

 

Let’s practice!

 

Mark the correct answer:

 

1) The opposite of understand is:

a) misunderstand     b) disunderstand

 

2) The opposite of appear is:

a) unappear     b) disappear

 

We hope this lesson has been helpful for you.

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