7/8/2023 0 Comments Misshapen antonymsAlways look for opportunities to use antithesis when you revise your writing. Antithesis takes this to the next level by putting antonyms together. As mentioned above, antonyms draw attention to what makes things different, making each word seem stronger. 3Īntithesis is a literary device that directly harnesses the power of opposites by placing them next to or near each other. In this way, antonyms can enhance your persuasive writing by strengthening your descriptive words and challenging your reader’s expectations. For example, bugs are usually small, so when you mention a “giant bug,” the contrast makes the phrase stronger. Still, they work well when you’re playing with the reader’s expectations. Keep in mind that positive descriptions are usually better than negative descriptions, so antonyms are not recommended for descriptions all the time. However, using the antonyms draws attention to the fact that the person chooses not to be modest or humble, which adds a little more characterization than simply calling them “arrogant.” įor example, you might describe someone who is arrogant as “not modest” or “not humble.” Because modest and humble are antonyms of arrogant, you’re saying the same thing. ![]() Using antonyms with a negative can add new dimensions to your descriptions and improve your writing’s word choice. Sometimes the best way to describe something is to explain what it isn’t. ![]() So you could call rural life “quiet” and urban life “noisy” or say that there are “few” people in rural areas and “many” people in urban areas. Instead of just listing facts about each, you can use antonym pairs to communicate the differences more clearly. If you’re writing a research paper that compares two topics, using pairs of antonyms can better communicate what sets them apart.įor example, let’s say you’re discussing life in urban areas versus life in rural areas. 1Īntonyms are great for comparing two separate things and drawing attention to what makes them different. Specifically, you can use the power of opposites in three ways. Placing opposites together highlights their differences and makes the individual words stronger. What’s the purpose of antonyms?Īntonyms play an important role in writing by making your words more effective. You can find more examples in our article on verb contronyms. ![]()
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