Antonyms, Synonyms, Phrasal Verbs, and Idioms – Complete English Vocabulary Guide
English Vocabulary is the foundation of effective communication and one of the key areas for exams like Bihar STET English Paper II, SSC, Banking, and UPSC. This post covers the most Repeatedly Asked Antonyms, Synonyms, Phrasal Verbs, and Idioms with meanings, examples, and MCQs.
📘 Table of Contents
1. What are Antonyms?
Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. They help express contrast and develop clarity in communication.
2. List of Common Antonyms (50+)
| Word | Antonym |
|---|---|
| Accept | Reject |
| Active | Inactive |
| Advance | Retreat |
| Ancient | Modern |
| Arrive | Depart |
| Artificial | Natural |
| Awake | Asleep |
| Brave | Cowardly |
| Broad | Narrow |
| Build | Destroy |
| Calm | Agitated |
| Cheap | Expensive |
| Clean | Dirty |
| Combine | Separate |
| Complex | Simple |
| Construct | Demolish |
| Courage | Fear |
| Cruel | Kind |
| Dark | Light |
| Defeat | Victory |
| Deliberate | Accidental |
| Despair | Hope |
| Easy | Difficult |
| Empty | Full |
| Expand | Contract |
| Friend | Enemy |
| Generous | Mean |
| Genuine | Fake |
| Harmful | Beneficial |
| Include | Exclude |
| Joy | Sorrow |
| Knowledge | Ignorance |
| Laugh | Cry |
| Major | Minor |
| Polite | Rude |
| Permanent | Temporary |
| Quiet | Noisy |
| Rise | Fall |
| Safe | Dangerous |
| Sharp | Dull |
| Success | Failure |
| Thick | Thin |
| True | False |
| Victory | Defeat |
| Visible | Invisible |
| Wealth | Poverty |
| Wise | Foolish |
3. What are Synonyms?
Synonyms are words that have the same or similar meanings. They help you vary your language and avoid repetition.
4. List of Common Synonyms (50+)
| Word | Synonyms |
|---|---|
| Accurate | Exact, Correct, Precise |
| Amazing | Wonderful, Astonishing, Incredible |
| Angry | Furious, Irritated, Annoyed |
| Answer | Reply, Response, Solution |
| Beautiful | Attractive, Lovely, Gorgeous |
| Begin | Start, Commence, Initiate |
| Brave | Bold, Courageous, Fearless |
| Bright | Shining, Radiant, Luminous |
| Calm | Peaceful, Serene, Tranquil |
| Care | Concern, Attention, Caution |
| Change | Alter, Modify, Transform |
| Choose | Select, Pick, Opt |
| Clean | Neat, Tidy, Pure |
| Cold | Chilly, Freezing, Icy |
| Danger | Peril, Risk, Hazard |
| Delicious | Tasty, Savory, Appetizing |
| Easy | Simple, Effortless, Smooth |
| End | Finish, Conclude, Terminate |
| Famous | Well-known, Renowned, Popular |
| Fast | Quick, Rapid, Speedy |
| Funny | Humorous, Amusing, Comical |
| Happy | Joyful, Cheerful, Content |
| Hard | Difficult, Tough, Challenging |
| Honest | Truthful, Loyal, Sincere |
| Important | Significant, Essential, Vital |
| Intelligent | Smart, Clever, Bright |
| Kind | Generous, Compassionate, Benevolent |
| Lazy | Idle, Sluggish, Inactive |
| Old | Ancient, Aged, Elderly |
| Polite | Civil, Courteous, Respectful |
| Quiet | Silent, Calm, Peaceful |
| Rich | Wealthy, Affluent, Prosperous |
| Sad | Unhappy, Miserable, Gloomy |
| Small | Little, Tiny, Petite |
| Strong | Powerful, Sturdy, Robust |
| Truth | Fact, Reality, Verity |
| Value | Worth, Importance, Significance |
| Weak | Frail, Feeble, Delicate |
| Wise | Intelligent, Prudent, Sensible |
5. What are Phrasal Verbs?
Phrasal Verbs are combinations of a verb and one or more particles (prepositions/adverbs) that create a meaning different from the base verb.
6. List of Common Phrasal Verbs (30+)
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Break down | To stop working |
| Bring up | To raise a child or topic |
| Call off | To cancel |
| Carry on | To continue |
| Come across | To find unexpectedly |
| Cut off | To disconnect |
| Drop out | To leave school or college |
| Find out | To discover |
| Give up | To stop trying |
| Go on | To continue |
| Look after | To take care of |
| Look for | To search |
| Look forward to | To anticipate with pleasure |
| Make up | To invent or reconcile |
| Put off | To postpone |
| Run out of | To have no more left |
| Set up | To establish |
| Take off | To remove or begin flight |
| Turn down | To reject |
| Work out | To exercise or solve a problem |
7. What are Idioms?
Idioms are phrases whose meanings are not literal but understood through usage. They make language more expressive and natural.
8. List of Common Idioms (30+)
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Break the ice | To start a conversation |
| Once in a blue moon | Very rarely |
| Piece of cake | Something very easy |
| Hit the nail on the head | To describe something exactly |
| Under the weather | Feeling sick |
| Burn the midnight oil | To work late into the night |
| When pigs fly | Something impossible |
| Spill the beans | To reveal a secret |
| Let the cat out of the bag | To reveal a secret unintentionally |
| Call it a day | Stop working for now |
| On cloud nine | Extremely happy |
| Bite the bullet | Face a difficult situation bravely |
| Back to square one | To start over again |
| Hit the sack | To go to bed |
| Go the extra mile | To make more effort than expected |
| Kill two birds with one stone | Achieve two things at once |
| Miss the boat | To miss an opportunity |
| Break a leg | Good luck! |
| Keep an eye on | To watch carefully |
| Cost an arm and a leg | To be very expensive |
| Jump the gun | To act before the right time |
| Cut corners | To do something carelessly |
| All ears | Listening eagerly |
| In hot water | In trouble |
| Throw in the towel | To give up |
Antonyms are words with opposite meanings (for example: accept — reject; brave — cowardly). They help express contrast and clarity in communication.
Source: Literature Hub vocabulary guide.
Examples from the post: accept — reject, awake — asleep, calm — agitated, cheap — expensive, true — false, wise — foolish, visible — invisible, etc.
Source: The article’s "List of Common Antonyms".
Synonyms are words with similar meanings (for example: happy — joyful; fast — quick). They help vary language, avoid repetition, and improve expression in writing and speaking.
Source: Literature Hub vocabulary guide.
Phrasal verbs combine a verb with a particle (preposition/adverb) to create meaning (e.g., "give up" — to stop trying; "look after" — to take care of; "set up" — to establish).
Source: The article’s "List of Common Phrasal Verbs".
Idioms are phrases whose meaning isn’t literal but established by usage — e.g., "break the ice" (start a conversation), "piece of cake" (very easy), "once in a blue moon" (very rarely).
Source: The article’s "List of Common Idioms".
Focus on repeated antonyms/synonyms, practice phrasal verbs and idioms with example sentences, and attempt the MCQs at the end of the post. Make flashcards and revise regularly for retention.
Tip: the post contains practice MCQs and examples to help exam prep.
Yes — you're free to use the lists for personal study or classroom handouts. If publishing elsewhere, please credit Literature Hub and link back to the original post.
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