Opposites, also known as antonyms, are words that express contrary or contrasting meanings. When it comes to adjectives, opposites provide a way to describe characteristics, qualities, or states in contrasting terms.
Replace the adjectives in bold in sentences 1 – 28 with a word or expression from the box which has an opposite meaning in the same context.
approximate * archaic * artificial * clear * commonplace * compulsory * considerable * crude * delicate * detrimental * dim * easy * even * feasible * flexible * graceful * innocent * intricate * negligible * problematic * scarce * smooth * reluctant * spontaneous * tedious * vibrant * worthless * worthwhile
- The meaning of his words was very ambiguous.
- According to his colleagues, he’s a very awkward person to deal with.
- When she first started dancing, she was very awkward.
- His policies were beneficial to the economy as a whole.
- We need exact figures before we embark on a new venture.
- The jury decided he was guilty of the crime.
- Add up all the odd numbers between 1 and 20 to get a result.
- Despite the weather, supplies of food after the harvest were plentiful.
- The laws restricting pollution in the city are very rigid.
- There is a slight difference in the way the company is run these days compared with a few years ago.
- The device is very sophisticated and should only be operated by someone who is familiar with it.
- The spices used in the production of some international dishes have a very strong flavor.
- The bright light from the flashlight picked out details on the walls of the cave.
- Attendance at afternoon classes should be voluntary.
- A lot of students are willing to attend classes on Saturday morning.
- Newspapers are saying a lot about the country’s modern licensing laws.
- Many students believe that doing voluntary work for charities is a pointless cause.
- The country displayed all the features of a stagnant economy.
- Her lectures are extremely interesting.
- Planned demonstrations and strikes took place all over the city.
- The plans they presented were simple and well written.
- A close study of the painting by experts revealed it to be priceless.
- The new rules had a profound impact on everyone’s behavior.
- What you are asking me to do is quite impossible.
- Contrary to what many people think, this is a very rare event.
- Organizing a fundraising event can be surprisingly simple.
- From a distance, the surface of the planet appears to be very rough.
- The confectionery contained several flavors, all of them natural.
Answers:
- clear
- easy
- graceful
- detrimental
- approximate
- innocent
- even
- scarce
- flexible
- considerable
- crude
- delicate
- dim
- compulsory
- reluctant
- archaic
- worthwhile
- vibrant
- tedious
- spontaneous
- intricate
- worthless
- negligible
- feasible
- commonplace
- problematic
- smooth
- artificial
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