Friends, English is a language where a single word can have two opposite meanings, and these words are called CONTRONYMS. They are also called Janus words, auto-antonyms, or enantiosemy. Context is crucial for understanding the intended meaning of a contronyms.
1 Sanction
- Approve- The government sanctioned the project.
- Punish- He was sanctioned for breaking the rules.
2 Dust
- Remove dust- She dusted the shelves.
- Add dust- The baker dusted sugar on the cake.
3 Left
- Departed- He left the party.
- Remaining- There are three mangoes left n the basket.
4 Fast
- Quick- He runs very fast.
- Fixed, unmoving- The boat was held fast by the rope.
5 Weather
- Withstand- The house weathered the storm.
- Wear away- The rocks were weathered by the wind.
6 Cleave
- Split apart- He cleaved the wood in half.
- Stick together-She cleaved to her beliefs.
7 Screen
- They screened the movie last night.
- Hide- Trees screened the house from view.
8 Trim
- Decorate- They trimmed the Christmas tree.
- Cut away- He trimmed his beard.
9 Strike
- Hit- The boxer struck his opponent.
- Cancel- He struck the sentence three times in disgust.
10 Clip
- Attach- She clipped the papers together.
- Cut off- He clipped the hedge.
11 Bolt
- Fasten- Bolt the door shut.
- Run away- The horse bolted from the stable.
12 Stone
- Throw stones- They stoned the wall.
- Remove stones from- She stoned the cherries.
13 Bound
- Heading forward- She’s bound for Mumbai.
- Tied up- He was bound with ropes.
14 Peruse
- Read carefully- He perused the contract.
- Skim through- She perused the magazine.
15 Apology
- Expression of Regret- He gave her an apology.
- Formal defense- Plato wrote an apology for Socrates.
16 Lease
- Grant use of- The landlord leased the flat to her.
- Take on lease- She leased a car.
17 Off
- Deactivate- he turned off the light.
- Start- The race went off at 7 am.
18 Out
- Visible- The stars are out
- Invisible/Extinguished- The fire is out.
19 Overlook
- Ignore- The mistake was overlooked.
- Supervise- She overlooks the entire project.
20 Finished
- Completed- He finished the task.
- Destroyed- The task finished him.
21 Scour
- Search thoroughly- Police scoured the room for some evidence.
- Scrub- He scoured the floor vigorously.
22 Discipline
- Well behaved- He is a disciplined
- Punished- He was disciplined for his bad behavior.
23 Trip
- Stumble- He tripped while crossing the road.
- Travel- He went on a trip with his family.
24 Buckle
- Fasten-He buckled his shoes.
- Collapse- He buckled under pressure.
25 Put out
- To generate- Farmer put out all his efforts to harvest a good crop.
- Extinguish- Fireman put out the fire.
There are any more such words, friends, if you know them please do write about them in comment column.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
26th August 2025