Synonyms and antonyms in Spanish

By Marta Díaz on Thursday, January 30, 2025

Have you ever wondered what is the opposite word of calor in Spanish? Or how to say calor with another word? Well, what you are looking for is an antonym and a synonym in Spanish, that is, word to enrich your Spanish vocabulary.

Because when you learn a new language like Spanish, an effective way to expand your vocabulary is to understand the use of synonyms and antonyms in Spanish. These concepts are fundamental to expressing ideas in different ways and improve your fluency and communication.

Below, we explain what Spanish synonyms and antonyms are, the types that exist and some practical examples to see how they work.

What is a Spanish synonym?

A Spanish synonym is a word that has the same or a very similar meaning to another word. Synonyms in Spanish are useful for avoiding repetition in speech or writing, making your ideas richer and more varied.

For example, bonito and hermoso (pretty and beautiful) or rápido and veloz (fast and quick) are Spanish synonyms because they have very similar meanings.

Types of Spanish synonyms

There are different types of synonyms in Spanish. We can distinguish:

Absolute synonyms. These are words that have the same meaning and can be interchanged in any context. Example: niño and infante (child and infant).

Partial synonyms. These are words that have similar meanings but cannot always be used in the same context. Example: casa and hogar (house and home). The word casa is physical building, while hogar also includes the idea of a familiar environment.

What is a Spanish antonym?

A Spanish antonym is a word that has an opposite or opposite meaning to another word. Antonyms in Spanish are essential for describing contrasts and differences.

For example, the Spanish words alto and bajo (tall and short), feliz and triste (happy and sad) or bonito and feo (pretty and ugly) are antonyms because they mean the opposite.

Types of Spanish antonyms

Like synonyms, antonyms also have different types in Spanish.

Gradual antonyms. They represent an opposition that can vary in degrees. There are intermediate terms between the two. For example, calor and frío (cold and hot), between these two terms there are others, such as templado (temperate) or tibio (lukewarm), which are found between the two.

Complementary antonyms. One of the terms eliminates the other; they cannot occur at the same time. For example, vivo and muerto (alive and dead), since something or someone cannot be alive and dead at the same time.

Reciprocal antonyms. One implies the existence of the other. For example, comprar and vender (buy and sell); if someone buys an apple, someone else sells it.

List of synonyms and antonyms in Spanish

Below you will find some of the basic Spanish words with their synonyms and antonyms.

• Sinónimo – Semejante – Antónimo (Synonym - Similar - Antonym)
• Amable – Cordial – Grosero (Kind - Friendy - Rude)
• Abundante – Mucho – Escaso (Abundant - Much - Scarce)
• Aburrido – Tedioso – Divertido (Boring - Tedious - Amusing)
• Aceptar – Admitir – Rechazar (Accept - Admit - Reject)
• Barato – Económico – Caro (Cheap - Economical - Expensive)
• Cerrar – Obstruir – Abrir (Close - Obstruct - Open)
• Claro – Luminoso – Oscuro (Light - Bright - Dark)
• Comprar – Adquirir – Vender (Buy - Acquire - Sell)
• Continuar – Seguir – Detener (Continue – Keep going - Stop)
• Crear – Inventar – Destruir (Create - Invent - Destroy)
• Difícil – Complicado – Fácil (Difficult - Complicated - Easy)
• Extraño – Raro – Común (Strange - Rare - Common)
• Feliz – Contento – Triste (Happy - Content - Sad)
• Frío - Helado – Caliente (Cold - Icy - Hot)
• Grande – Enorme – Pequeño (Big - Huge - Small)
• Hermoso – Bonito – Feo (Beautiful - Pretty - Ugly)
• Idéntico – Igual – Diferente (Identical - Same - Different)
• Inteligente – Listo – Tonto (Intelligent - Clever – Foolish)
• Insulto – Agravio – Halago (Insult - Offense – Flattery)
• Limpio – Impoluto – Sucio (Clean - Unpolluted - Dirty)
• Mentira – Embuste – Verdad (Lie - Deception - Truth)
• Miedo – Pánico – Valentía (Fear - Panic - Courage)
• Parar – Detener – Seguir (Pause - Stop - Continue)
• Posible – Factible – Imposible (Possible - Feasible - Impossible)
• Pequeño – Chico – Grande (Small – Little - Big)
• Querer – Ansiar – Despreciar (To want - To long for - To despise)
• Rápido – Veloz – Lento (Fast - Quick - Slow)
• Saber – Conocer – Ignorar (Knowing - Be aware of - Ignoring)
• Sumar – Agregar – Restar (Add - Aggregate - Subtract)
• Tranquilo – Pacífico – Nervioso (Calm - Peaceful - Nervous)
• Valiente – Intrépido – Miedoso (Brave - Fearless - Fearful)
• Viejo – Antiguo – Nuevo (Old - Ancient - New)
• Volver – Regresar – Partir (Return – Go back - Depart)

Phrases with Spanish synonyms and antonyms

These sentences contain words above with their synonyms or antonyms in Spanish. Can you guess which is which?

• El paisaje es hermoso, pero también vimos un atardecer muy bonito (The scenery is beautiful, but we also saw a beautiful sunset)
• El examen era muy difícil, casi tan complicado como el anterior (The exam was very difficult, almost as complicated as the previous one)
• Estaba feliz, pero tras recibir las notas se sintió triste al instante (He was happy, but after receiving the grades he felt sad instantly)
• La casa es grande, pero su jardín es pequeño (The house is big, but its garden is small)
• Aunque parezca inteligente, a veces actúa como un tonto (Although he looks smart, sometimes he acts like a fool)
• El coche es rápido y veloz, perfecto para carreras (The car is fast and quick, perfect for racing)
• El café estaba frío, pero lo calentaron hasta quedar caliente (The coffee was cold, but they heated it until it was hot)
• Juan es muy tranquilo y siempre busca un ambiente pacífico (Juan is very quiet and always seeks a peaceful environment)
• La niña es muy amable, nunca ha sido grosera con nadie (The girl is very nice, she has never been rude to anyone)
• El hermano mayor es más alto que el pequeño, que se ha quedado más bajo (The older brother is taller than the younger brother, who is shorter)

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