Friend, in the English language, a CONTRONYM is a word with two opposite meanings. This feature is called ‘enantiosemy’.
Here are a few Contronym words:
1 Apology– Expression of regret/formal defence or justification.
2 Bill-Statement of charges/ proposed law.
3 Bolt-Secure (a door)/ flee quickly.
4 Buckle-Fasten together/ collapse under pressure.
5 Cleave-Split apart/ cling together
6 Clip– Attach together/ cut off.
7 Buckle– Fasten together/ collapse under pressure.
8 Consult– Seek advice/ give advice professionally.
9 Continue– keep going/ resume after stopping.
10 Custom– A common practice/ a special one time order.
11 Dust– Add fine particle (dust a cake)/ remove fine particles (dust furniture).
12 Execute– Carry out/ put to death.
13 Moving quickly– Moving quickly/ fixed firmly in place/ abstain from food.
14 Flog– Promote energetically/ criticize harshly.
15 Go– Proceed/ fail or be destroyed (things went wrong).
16 Handicap– advantage given to equalize chance/ disadvantage that hinders.
17 Help– Assist/ prevent (help it from happening).
18 Hold Up– Support/ delay.
19 Lease– Rent out/-rent from.
20 Left– Departed/ remaining.
21 Let– Allow/ hinder (‘let’ in legal usage meaning to prevent).
22 Literally-Exactly true/ used as exaggeration (I literally died laughing).
23 Model- Perfect example/ imitation of something else.
24 Off– Activated (alarm went off)/ deactivated (turn the alarm off).
25 Overlook– Supervise carefully/ fail to notice.
26 Oversight– Responsible management/un intention mistake.
27 Peer– Look closely/ person of equal standing.
28 Pitch– Throw/ discard.
29 Present– Here, existing/ give something to someone.
30 Public– Open to everyone/ involving only specific numbers.
31 Put out– Extinguish/ produce or publish.
32 Quantum-A small amount/ a large, sudden leap (quantum leap).
33 Quarantine– Isolate/ release from isolation (historical usage)
34 Rent– Pay to use something/ receive payment for use.
35 Refrain– Stop oneself/ repeat a phrase in a song.
36 Resign– Quit a job/ sign up again (re sign).
37 Rock– Move gently/ shake violently/ large stone
38 Sanction– Permit/ Penalise.
39 Screen– Show, display/ hide from view.
40 Seed– Plant seeds/remove seed.
41 Skin– Remove skin/ cover with skin.
42 Splice– Join together/ split apart(in film editing)
43 Strike– Hit/ Miss in baseball.
44 Table– Present for discussion (UK)/ postpone discussion (USA)
45 Temper– Soften/ harden (as in metal working)
46 Throw out– Discard/-propose an idea for discussion.
47 Trim– Decorate/ remove excess.
48 Trip– Stumble/-activate (trip a switch).
49 Weather– Withstand/ wear away over time.
50 Wind up– Start something/ finish or conclude.
Friends, if you know any other such words, please write the same in the comment column at the end of this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
13th January 2026