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It recently came to my attention that the word sanctioned is its own antonym. It can mean either "permitted" (as in sanctioned game) or disallowed (as in sanctioned player).
Another example is "table" (as in table a bill, not a physical table) -- in the US this basically means "to make go away" or "to put on the shelf" such that it is removed from consideration, whereas in the UK it means "to bring to a vote".
Does anyone have other examples like this?
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Words that are Their Own Antonyms
#1
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Posted Yesterday, 13:24
Adam W. Meyerson
a.k.a. Appeal Without Merit
a.k.a. Appeal Without Merit
#2
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Posted Yesterday, 13:41
I believe they are also known as contronyms
Bolt:
Secure, as in bolt a door.
Flee, escape, run away.
I wonder what 3 way contronyms are called
Fast:
1. Speedy
2. Secure, the boat was made fast at the dock
3. Go without food
Bolt:
Secure, as in bolt a door.
Flee, escape, run away.
I wonder what 3 way contronyms are called
Fast:
1. Speedy
2. Secure, the boat was made fast at the dock
3. Go without food
"And no matter what methods you play, it is essential, for anyone aspiring to learn to be a good player, to learn the importance of bidding shape properly." MikeH
“Let me put it in words you might understand,” he said. “Mr. Trump, f–k off!” Anders Vistisen
"Bridge is a terrible game". blackshoe
“Let me put it in words you might understand,” he said. “Mr. Trump, f–k off!” Anders Vistisen
"Bridge is a terrible game". blackshoe
#3
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Posted Yesterday, 14:22
Oversight:
-Watching over
-Didn't see
-Watching over
-Didn't see
The growth of wisdom may be gauged exactly by the diminution of ill temper. — Friedrich Nietzsche
The infliction of cruelty with a good conscience is a delight to moralists — that is why they invented hell. — Bertrand Russell
The infliction of cruelty with a good conscience is a delight to moralists — that is why they invented hell. — Bertrand Russell
#4
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Posted Yesterday, 15:28
jillybean, on 2025-May-03, 13:41, said:
I believe they are also known as contronyms
Bolt:
Secure, as in bolt a door.
Flee, escape, run away.
I wonder what 3 way contronyms are called
Fast:
1. Speedy
2. Secure, the boat was made fast at the dock
3. Go without food
Bolt:
Secure, as in bolt a door.
Flee, escape, run away.
I wonder what 3 way contronyms are called
Fast:
1. Speedy
2. Secure, the boat was made fast at the dock
3. Go without food
I won't bother you with 4 way which is quite possible in Italian, a language with about a quarter of the words of English and all the same meanings
#5
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Posted Yesterday, 16:11
The one that annoys me most when reading sports articles is when a coach resigns.. are they leaving, or staying?
#6
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Posted Yesterday, 19:17
pescetom, on 2025-May-03, 15:28, said:
I won't bother you with 4 way which is quite possible in Italian, a language with about a quarter of the words or English and all the same meanings
please share
"And no matter what methods you play, it is essential, for anyone aspiring to learn to be a good player, to learn the importance of bidding shape properly." MikeH
“Let me put it in words you might understand,” he said. “Mr. Trump, f–k off!” Anders Vistisen
"Bridge is a terrible game". blackshoe
“Let me put it in words you might understand,” he said. “Mr. Trump, f–k off!” Anders Vistisen
"Bridge is a terrible game". blackshoe
#7
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Posted Today, 02:01
smerriman, on 2025-May-03, 16:11, said:
The one that annoys me most when reading sports articles is when a coach resigns.. are they leaving, or staying?
That's different, in that the words are pronounced differently, it's purely a written problem. The others work spoken and written.
#8
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Posted Today, 02:42
Slightly different yes, though a homophone is not a requirement of a contronym.
#9
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Posted Today, 02:48
Cyberyeti, on 2025-May-04, 02:01, said:
That's different, in that the words are pronounced differently, it's purely a written problem. The others work spoken and written.
Yes.
Also, in the past, UK English would require the written word to feature a hyphen i.e. 're-signs'.
Admittedly, it's been years since hyphenation of such words was considered normal.
#10
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Posted Today, 03:05
Set is another with bridge relevance:
Set for life (or to set up a suit)
When the smoke cleared declarer suffered a 4 trick set
Set for life (or to set up a suit)
When the smoke cleared declarer suffered a 4 trick set
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