SSC CGL antonyms
396 entries. Each word with its opposites and a short meaning, so you can work out the antonym even when the options are unfamiliar.
| Word | Antonyms | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Abate | intensify, augment | Become less intense |
| Abhor | admire, adore | Hate intensely |
| Absent | present, attending | Not in a place |
| Abstract | concrete, tangible | Existing as an idea, not as a physical thing |
| Abundant | scarce, meagre | Existing in large quantity |
| Accept | reject, refuse | Agree to take what is offered |
| Accord | discord, disagreement | Agreement |
| Accurate | inaccurate, erroneous | Correct in all details |
| Acquit | convict, condemn | Declare not guilty |
| Adept | clumsy, inept | Very skilled at something |
| Admire | despise, scorn | Regard with respect and approval |
| Adore | hate, detest | Love deeply |
| Advance | retreat, recede | Move forward |
| Advantage | disadvantage, drawback | A favourable condition |
| Adversity | prosperity, fortune | Hardship; misfortune |
| Affluent | impoverished, indigent | Wealthy |
| Agile | clumsy, sluggish | Able to move quickly and easily |
| Agree | differ, disagree | Hold the same opinion |
| Alien | native, familiar | Foreign or strange |
| Ally | enemy, foe | A partner or supporter |
| Amateur | professional, expert | A non-professional |
| Ambiguous | clear, explicit | Open to more than one meaning |
| Amiable | unfriendly, hostile | Friendly and pleasant |
| Ample | insufficient, meagre | Enough or more than enough |
| Ancestor | descendant | A person from whom one is descended |
| Ancient | modern, recent | Belonging to a very distant past |
| Anger | calm, pleasure | A strong feeling of displeasure |
| Animosity | friendship, goodwill | Strong hostility |
| Anxious | calm, carefree | Worried and uneasy |
| Appear | vanish, disappear | Come into sight |
| Appreciate | disparage, criticise | Recognise the value of |
| Approve | disapprove, reject | Officially agree to |
| Arrival | departure, exit | The act of coming to a place |
| Arrogant | humble, modest | Having an exaggerated sense of importance |
| Artificial | natural, genuine | Made by humans; not natural |
| Ascend | descend | Go up |
| Assent | dissent, refusal | Agreement or approval |
| Attract | repel, repulse | Draw towards oneself |
| Audacious | timid, cautious | Bold and daring |
| Awake | asleep, dormant | Not sleeping |
| Awkward | graceful, skilful | Causing difficulty; lacking ease of movement |
| Barren | fertile, productive | Unable to produce crops or fruit |
| Beautiful | ugly, hideous | Pleasing to the senses |
| Beginning | end, conclusion | The point where something starts |
| Benevolent | malevolent, cruel | Kind and well-meaning |
| Benign | malignant, harmful | Gentle and harmless |
| Bitter | sweet, pleasant | Having a sharp, unpleasant taste |
| Bless | curse, damn | Call down divine favour upon |
| Bold | shy, cowardly | Showing willingness to take risks |
| Bore | interest, entertain | Make someone feel tired and uninterested |
| Brave | cowardly, timid | Ready to face danger |
| Brief | lengthy, prolonged | Lasting a short time |
| Bright | dull, dim | Giving out much light |
| Brittle | flexible, tough | Hard but easily broken |
| Broad | narrow, slim | Wide across |
| Calm | agitated, turbulent | Free from disturbance |
| Candid | evasive, guarded | Frank and honest |
| Captivity | freedom, release | The state of being held prisoner |
| Careless | careful, attentive | Not giving enough attention |
| Cautious | reckless, rash | Careful to avoid risk |
| Chaos | order, harmony | Complete disorder |
| Cheerful | sullen, morose | Noticeably happy and optimistic |
| Civil | rude, uncivil | Polite and courteous |
| Clarity | obscurity, vagueness | Clearness |
| Clean | dirty, filthy | Free from dirt |
| Clever | stupid, dull | Quick to understand and learn |
| Coarse | fine, smooth | Rough in texture or manner |
| Cold | hot, warm | Of low temperature |
| Commend | criticise, condemn | Praise formally |
| Common | rare, unusual | Found often |
| Competent | incompetent, unskilled | Having the necessary ability |
| Complex | simple, straightforward | Made of many connected parts |
| Compulsory | optional, voluntary | Required by rule |
| Conceal | reveal, disclose | Hide |
| Conceit | modesty, humility | Excessive pride in oneself |
| Concord | discord, conflict | Harmony or agreement |
| Condemn | praise, approve | Express strong disapproval of |
| Confess | deny, conceal | Admit that one has done wrong |
| Consolidate | weaken, fragment | Strengthen |
| Construct | demolish, destroy | Build something |
| Contempt | respect, admiration | A feeling that someone is worthless |
| Contract | expand, enlarge | Become smaller |
| Cooperate | oppose, resist | Work together for a common purpose |
| Cordial | hostile, unfriendly | Warm and friendly |
| Courage | cowardice, fear | Ability to face danger bravely |
| Courteous | rude, discourteous | Polite and respectful |
| Credulous | sceptical, suspicious | Too ready to believe |
| Crooked | straight, honest | Bent or dishonest |
| Crude | refined, polished | In a natural or rough state |
| Cruel | kind, merciful | Causing pain without pity |
| Dangerous | safe, harmless | Likely to cause harm |
| Dawn | dusk, sunset | The first light of day |
| Dearth | abundance, plenty | Scarcity |
| Decline | rise, improve | Become smaller or weaker |
| Defeat | victory, win | Beat in a contest |
| Defend | attack, accuse | Protect from attack |
| Delay | hasten, expedite | Make something late |
| Deliberate | accidental, unintentional | Done on purpose |
| Dense | sparse, thin | Closely packed together |
| Deny | affirm, admit | State that something is untrue |
| Dependent | independent, self-reliant | Relying on another for support |
| Descend | climb, rise | Move downwards |
| Despair | hope, optimism | Complete loss of hope |
| Destroy | create, build | Put an end to the existence of |
| Destructive | constructive, creative | Causing great damage |
| Deteriorate | improve, recover | Become worse |
| Detest | adore, love | Dislike intensely |
| Diligent | lazy, indolent | Hardworking |
| Dim | bright, clear | Not bright; faintly lit |
| Diminish | increase, augment | Make or become less |
| Discord | harmony, accord | Lack of agreement |
| Discourage | encourage, inspire | Cause to lose confidence |
| Dishonour | honour, respect | Loss of respect or reputation |
| Dismiss | appoint, employ | Send away from a job |
| Disperse | gather, assemble | Scatter in different directions |
| Domestic | foreign, wild | Relating to the home or one’s own country |
| Doubt | belief, certainty | A feeling of uncertainty |
| Drowsy | alert, wakeful | Sleepy and slow |
| Dull | sharp, lively | Lacking brightness or interest |
| Eager | apathetic, indifferent | Strongly wanting to do something |
| Easy | difficult, hard | Needing little effort |
| Eccentric | normal, conventional | Unconventional and slightly strange |
| Elevate | lower, demote | Raise to a higher level |
| Eliminate | include, retain | Remove completely |
| Emigrate | immigrate | Leave one’s country to settle abroad |
| Eminent | obscure, unknown | Famous and respected |
| Empty | full, filled | Containing nothing |
| Endless | finite, limited | Having no end |
| Enemy | friend, ally | One who is hostile to another |
| Enlarge | reduce, shrink | Make bigger |
| Enormous | tiny, minute | Very large |
| Entrance | exit, departure | A place or act of coming in |
| Ephemeral | permanent, eternal | Short-lived |
| Equal | unequal, uneven | Being the same in amount or value |
| Eradicate | establish, implant | Destroy completely |
| Evil | good, virtuous | Profoundly immoral |
| Excellent | poor, inferior | Extremely good |
| Exclude | include, admit | Keep out |
| Exodus | influx, arrival | A mass departure |
| Exonerate | accuse, incriminate | Clear from blame |
| Expand | shrink, condense | Become larger |
| Expensive | cheap, inexpensive | Costing a lot |
| Exterior | interior, inner | The outer part |
| Extravagant | frugal, thrifty | Spending too much |
| Fact | fiction, fallacy | A thing known to be true |
| Fail | succeed, pass | Not succeed in an aim |
| Faint | strong, distinct | Not clear or strong |
| Fake | real, authentic | Not genuine |
| Famous | obscure, unknown | Known by many people |
| Fast | slow | Moving at great speed |
| Feeble | strong, robust | Weak |
| Fertile | infertile, sterile | Able to produce crops or offspring |
| Fierce | gentle, mild | Violent and aggressive |
| Find | lose, miss | Discover by searching |
| Flexible | stiff, inflexible | Able to bend without breaking |
| Foolish | wise, sensible | Lacking good sense |
| Forbid | permit, allow | Order not to do something |
| Forgive | blame, punish | Stop feeling angry with someone |
| Fortunate | unlucky, unfortunate | Having good luck |
| Fortune | misfortune, adversity | Good luck or wealth |
| Fragile | sturdy, strong | Easily broken |
| Frank | secretive, evasive | Open and honest in speech |
| Freedom | slavery, bondage | The state of being free |
| Frequent | rare, occasional | Happening often |
| Fresh | stale, rotten | Recently made or gathered |
| Frighten | reassure, comfort | Make someone afraid |
| Gain | loss, forfeit | Obtain something |
| Generous | stingy, miserly | Giving freely |
| Gentle | harsh, rough | Mild and kind in manner |
| Genuine | fake, spurious | Real; authentic |
| Give | take, receive | Hand over to another |
| Glad | sad, sorry | Pleased and happy |
| Gloomy | cheerful, bright | Dark or depressing |
| Gradual | sudden, abrupt | Taking place slowly |
| Grant | refuse, deny | Agree to give or allow |
| Gregarious | unsociable, reserved | Fond of company |
| Grief | joy, delight | Deep sorrow |
| Grow | shrink, decline | Increase in size |
| Guilty | innocent, blameless | Responsible for a wrong |
| Hamper | facilitate, assist | Hinder |
| Happy | sad, miserable | Feeling pleasure |
| Harmful | harmless, beneficial | Causing damage |
| Hasty | slow, careful | Done with excessive speed |
| Hatred | love, affection | Intense dislike |
| Healthy | sickly, ill | In good physical condition |
| Heaven | hell | The place of God and the blessed |
| Heavy | light, weightless | Of great weight |
| Height | depth | Measure of how tall something is |
| Hero | villain, coward | A person admired for courage |
| Heterogeneous | homogeneous, uniform | Made of different kinds |
| High | low | Of great upward extent |
| Hollow | solid | Having an empty space inside |
| Honest | dishonest, deceitful | Truthful and fair |
| Hostile | friendly, amicable | Unfriendly |
| Humble | proud, arrogant | Having a modest view of oneself |
| Humility | pride, arrogance | Modest view of one’s importance |
| Idle | busy, active | Not working or in use |
| Ignore | notice, heed | Refuse to pay attention to |
| Illegal | legal, lawful | Against the law |
| Imaginary | real, actual | Existing only in the mind |
| Immense | tiny, minute | Extremely large |
| Immoral | moral, ethical | Not following accepted standards of right |
| Imperfect | flawless, perfect | Having faults |
| Import | export | Bring goods into a country |
| Important | insignificant, trivial | Of great significance |
| Increase | decrease, reduce | Become greater |
| Indifferent | concerned, keen | Having no interest in |
| Inferior | superior | Lower in rank or quality |
| Inflate | deflate | Fill with air; increase |
| Innocent | guilty, culpable | Not responsible for a wrong |
| Insult | compliment, praise | Speak to someone with disrespect |
| Intentional | accidental, unintentional | Done on purpose |
| Jubilant | dejected, sorrowful | Joyful and triumphant |
| Junior | senior, elder | Lower in rank or age |
| Justice | injustice, unfairness | Fair treatment under law |
| Kindle | extinguish, quench | Set on fire; arouse |
| Knowledge | ignorance | Awareness gained by learning |
| Large | small, tiny | Of great size |
| Last | first | Coming after all others |
| Late | early, prompt | Happening after the expected time |
| Laugh | weep, cry | Make sounds expressing amusement |
| Lazy | industrious, active | Unwilling to work |
| Leader | follower | One who guides a group |
| Lean | fat, plump | Thin and healthy-looking |
| Lenient | strict, severe | Tolerant; not strict |
| Lethargic | energetic, active | Sluggish |
| Liberal | conservative, intolerant | Open to new ideas and respectful of others |
| Liberate | enslave, imprison | Set free |
| Liberty | slavery, bondage | Freedom |
| Likely | unlikely, improbable | Probable |
| Lively | dull, lifeless | Full of energy |
| Lofty | lowly, humble | High; noble |
| Loquacious | taciturn, reticent | Very talkative |
| Loud | soft, quiet | Producing much noise |
| Loyal | disloyal, treacherous | Faithful to a person or cause |
| Lucid | obscure, vague | Clear |
| Major | minor | Greater in importance or size |
| Majority | minority | The greater number |
| Malicious | benevolent, kind | Intending harm |
| Mature | immature, childish | Fully grown or developed |
| Maximum | minimum | The greatest possible amount |
| Mercy | cruelty, severity | Kindness in not punishing harshly |
| Merit | demerit, fault | Quality of being good |
| Meticulous | careless, sloppy | Very careful |
| Misery | happiness, joy | Great unhappiness |
| Moderate | extreme, excessive | Neither too much nor too little |
| Modern | ancient, archaic | Of the present time |
| Modest | boastful, arrogant | Not talking much about one’s achievements |
| Moist | dry, arid | Slightly wet |
| Monotonous | varied, interesting | Dull because of lack of variety |
| Mortal | immortal | Subject to death |
| Near | far, distant | At a short distance |
| Necessary | unnecessary, needless | Required to be done |
| Negative | positive, affirmative | Expressing denial or refusal |
| Neglect | attend, care | Fail to take care of |
| Negligent | careful, attentive | Careless |
| Noble | ignoble, base | Of high moral character |
| Normal | abnormal, unusual | Conforming to the usual standard |
| Novice | expert, veteran | Beginner |
| Obedient | defiant, disobedient | Willing to obey |
| Obscure | clear, evident | Not clearly seen or understood |
| Obstinate | flexible, amenable | Stubborn |
| Obvious | hidden, obscure | Easily seen or understood |
| Offend | please, appease | Hurt the feelings of |
| Often | seldom, rarely | Many times |
| Old | young, new | Having lived a long time |
| Opaque | transparent, clear | Not letting light through |
| Oppose | support, favour | Resist or disagree with |
| Optimism | pessimism, gloom | Hopefulness about the future |
| Optimist | pessimist | One who expects the best |
| Optional | mandatory, obligatory | Left to one’s choice |
| Ordinary | extraordinary, exceptional | With no special features |
| Orthodox | unorthodox, unconventional | Following traditional beliefs |
| Ostentatious | modest, unpretentious | Showy |
| Pacify | provoke, agitate | Calm down |
| Pardon | punish, condemn | Forgive an offence |
| Passive | active, energetic | Accepting without resisting |
| Patient | impatient, restless | Able to wait calmly |
| Peace | war, conflict | A state of freedom from war |
| Peak | base, bottom | The highest point |
| Permanent | temporary, transient | Lasting for ever |
| Placid | agitated, turbulent | Calm |
| Polite | rude, impolite | Having good manners |
| Poverty | wealth, affluence | The state of being very poor |
| Praise | blame, censure | Express admiration |
| Pride | shame, modesty | A feeling of pleasure in one’s own achievements |
| Private | public, open | Belonging to one person only |
| Profit | loss, deficit | A financial gain |
| Progress | regress, decline | Forward movement |
| Prohibit | permit, allow | Formally forbid |
| Prolific | unproductive, barren | Producing much |
| Prudent | rash, imprudent | Wise and careful |
| Punctual | late, tardy | Arriving at the proper time |
| Pure | impure, contaminated | Not mixed with anything else |
| Quell | incite, provoke | Suppress |
| Raise | lower | Lift to a higher position |
| Rapid | slow, sluggish | Happening very quickly |
| Rare | common, frequent | Not often found |
| Rational | irrational, absurd | Based on reason |
| Regular | irregular, erratic | Following a fixed pattern |
| Relax | tense, strain | Become less tense |
| Release | capture, imprison | Set free from confinement |
| Reliable | unreliable, undependable | Able to be trusted |
| Reluctant | willing, eager | Unwilling |
| Remember | forget, neglect | Keep in the mind |
| Remove | add, install | Take away from a place |
| Repair | damage, break | Restore to good condition |
| Reveal | hide, conceal | Make known |
| Reward | punishment, penalty | Something given for good work |
| Rich | poor, destitute | Having a great deal of money |
| Rigid | flexible, pliable | Stiff; unbending |
| Robust | frail, weak | Strong and healthy |
| Rough | smooth, even | Not smooth or level |
| Sacred | profane, secular | Connected with God; holy |
| Saint | sinner | A person of great holiness |
| Same | different, dissimilar | Identical |
| Sanguine | pessimistic, gloomy | Optimistic |
| Satisfy | dissatisfy, frustrate | Fulfil the wishes of |
| Scanty | plentiful, abundant | Insufficient |
| Scarcity | abundance, plenty | Shortage of supply |
| Scatter | gather, collect | Throw in different directions |
| Secure | insecure, vulnerable | Safe and free from danger |
| Selfish | altruistic, selfless | Caring only about oneself |
| Serious | frivolous, light-hearted | Not joking; important |
| Shallow | deep, profound | Not deep |
| Shame | pride, honour | A painful feeling of guilt or embarrassment |
| Sharp | blunt | Having a fine cutting edge |
| Shy | bold, outgoing | Nervous in the company of others |
| Silent | noisy, vocal | Making no sound |
| Sincere | insincere, hypocritical | Honest in feeling |
| Sleep | wake | Rest with eyes closed |
| Slender | plump, stout | Gracefully thin |
| Soft | hard, firm | Easily pressed |
| Solid | liquid, hollow | Firm and stable in shape |
| Spacious | cramped, narrow | Having plenty of room |
| Spendthrift | miser, saver | One who wastes money |
| Stable | unstable, shaky | Not likely to change or fall |
| Stagnant | flowing, moving | Not flowing; inactive |
| Start | finish, end | Begin |
| Steady | unsteady, wavering | Firmly fixed or regular |
| Strange | familiar, ordinary | Unusual or unfamiliar |
| Strengthen | weaken, undermine | Make stronger |
| Strict | lax, lenient | Demanding obedience to rules |
| Success | failure, defeat | The achievement of an aim |
| Sufficient | insufficient, inadequate | Enough for a purpose |
| Superficial | profound, deep | On the surface only |
| Superior | inferior, subordinate | Higher in rank or quality |
| Surrender | resist, fight | Give up to an enemy |
| Suspicion | trust, confidence | A feeling that something is wrong |
| Sympathy | antipathy, indifference | Feeling of pity or understanding |
| Tactful | tactless, blunt | Sensitive in dealing with others |
| Talkative | silent, reserved | Fond of talking |
| Tall | short, small | Of great height |
| Tame | wild, savage | Not dangerous; domesticated |
| Tedious | interesting, exciting | Boring |
| Temporary | permanent, lasting | Lasting only for a limited time |
| Tender | tough, harsh | Soft and gentle |
| Thaw | freeze | Become liquid from a frozen state |
| Thick | thin, slender | Having large distance between opposite sides |
| Thrifty | wasteful, extravagant | Careful with money |
| Tight | loose, slack | Fitting closely |
| Timid | bold, brave | Lacking courage |
| Tragedy | comedy | A very sad event or play |
| Tranquil | turbulent, agitated | Peaceful |
| Triumph | defeat, failure | A great victory |
| Trivial | significant, important | Of little importance |
| Trust | distrust, doubt | Firm belief in someone |
| Truth | falsehood, lie | That which is true |
| Uniform | varied, diverse | Always the same |
| Unite | divide, separate | Come together as one |
| Unity | division, disunity | The state of being joined as one |
| Upper | lower | Higher in position |
| Urban | rural, rustic | Of the city |
| Useful | useless, futile | Serving a good purpose |
| Vacant | occupied, full | Not filled or occupied |
| Vague | definite, precise | Unclear |
| Valiant | cowardly, timid | Brave |
| Vanity | modesty, humility | Excessive pride in oneself |
| Verbose | concise, laconic | Wordy |
| Vertical | horizontal | Upright |
| Vigilant | careless, negligent | Watchful |
| Violent | calm, peaceful | Using great physical force |
| Virtue | vice, sin | Moral goodness |
| Visible | invisible, hidden | Able to be seen |
| Voluntary | compulsory, forced | Done by choice |
| Vulgar | refined, elegant | Lacking good taste |
| Warm | cool, chilly | Moderately hot |
| Waste | conserve, save | Use carelessly |
| Wax | wane | (Of the moon) grow larger |
| Weak | strong, sturdy | Lacking strength |
| Welcome | reject, repel | Greet kindly |
| Wisdom | folly, foolishness | Good judgement |
| Wrong | right, correct | Not correct |
| Youth | old age, maturity | The period of being young |
| Zeal | apathy, indifference | Great enthusiasm |
| Zenith | nadir | The highest point |
Meanings are short study notes written for revision, not dictionary entries. When an option in the exam fits the sentence better, trust the sentence.