Linguistics Micro Lesson: Auto-antonyms

Auto-antonyms (also called autantonyms; there are a couple other names for them, too) are two words that are spelled the same but actually have opposite meanings.

A few examples:

  • “To cleave” = “to cling” or “to split”
  • “To weather” = “to endure” (as in a storm) or “to erode” (as in a rock)
  • “To buckle” = “to fasten” or “to bend then break”
  • “To sanction” = “to permit” or “to punish”

Has your mind been blown yet?

91 Notes/ Hide

  1. wennichtanzenwill reblogged this from lesserjoke
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  8. musingsofabibliophile reblogged this from lesserjoke and added:
    I love words. These are some of my favorites too.
  9. people-do-little-else reblogged this from lesserjoke
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  14. lieutenant-sarcasm reblogged this from vowelsme and added:
    Sanction has always confused
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  17. the-grip-of-a-hurricane reblogged this from lesserjoke and added:
    I’ve never thought about this before….
  18. jaxonsyntax reblogged this from lesserjoke
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  20. perceptualobfuscator reblogged this from lightspeedsound and added:
    I enjoy words to...terrible extent.
  21. allonsyduze reblogged this from lesserjoke and added:
    This is so awesome!
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