Real-Life Writing © Scholastic Teaching Resources
2. Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms are words that are very close in meaning. The small differences,
however, are usually important. Here are some examples of synonyms:
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every, all, entire
He ate every cookie in the box.
He ate all the cookies in the box.
He ate an entire box of cookies.
■
push, shove, nudge
They pushed the car out of the ditch.
Some people were shoving their way into the line.
She got my attention by nudging me with her elbow.
Here are some other commonly used synonyms:
yank, drag, tug, haul
decrease, shorten, cut, dwindle
contribute, donate, present
special, particular, unique
expensive, valuable, costly
strength, power, energy
lengthen, stretch, extend, continue
sudden, quick, hasty, abrupt
law, rule, regulation
weak, feeble, frail, flimsy
examine, investigate, explore
danger, peril, menace, threat
serious, solemn, thoughtful
delicious, appetizing, tasty
shake, tremble, shudder, shiver
throw, toss, pitch, hurl
Antonyms are words with opposite meanings.
Examples:
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to, from
less, more
off, on
begin, end
in, out
lost, found
up, down
dark, light
all, none
stay, leave
like, dislike
last, first
different, same
apart, together
yes, no
start, stop