18626 | 0.95
15. Opposites
The following table shows the frequency of contrasting adjectives. Note that some words have two meanings (hard = "not soft, not easy"; indicated with an asterisk) and so the overall frequency is divided between those two meanings. In addition, alternative pairings could have been made (big and small, rather than big and little). Also, note also that in most cases, the positive adjective is more frequent that the negative one.
Л
B
Freq Л
Freq B
new
old *
412599
176437
good
bad
340107
81546
big
little
170192
143787
large
small
106013
149164
young
old *
123335
176437
black
white
144769
121598
high
low
170119
58493
long
short
127704
51440
public
private
115783
59623
right *
left
121603
48762
right *
wrong
121603
56902
same
different
216686
156775
best
worst
119724
21565
early
late
82845
58174
easy
hard *
51416
72349
soft
hard *
24693
72349
better
worse
80561
25607
possible
impossible
82299
21448
hot
cold
48148
40989
true
false
75708
12469
poor
rich
47468
29900
strong
weak
63185
13467
dead
alive
52981
23234
open
closed
64245
7246
light *
dark
24285
40560
light *
heavy
24285
33698
positive
negative
37951
25934
happy
sad
45445
14764
modern
ancient
37188
19019
close
far
41992
14052
wide
narrow
32226
15893
beautiful
ugly
38432
8246
powerful
weak
32071
13467
interesting
boring
36026
4702
deep
shallow
32457
5891
late r
as, .night, too., .last, .year, .afternoon, stay., day, until., work., in., arrive., .week
18305 | 0.96
frequently r
more., most., use, less., occur, stir., .cite, mention, appear, .used
19160 | 0.92 A
blame v
noun problem, .victim, government, death, other, media, official, Congress, .failure, Republican, Democrat, .lack, .loss, attack, critic misc .her, .him, themselves, .everything
18312 | 0.96
sheet n
adj white, clean, thin, prepared, single, top, blank, baking, folded, soft noun .paper, balance., cookie., ice, .music, .metal verb place, cover, pull, lay, wrap, remove., line, cut, contain, lie
18891 | 0.93
estimate v
noun .percent, year, .number, official., study., model, earnings, expert., rate, value, analyst., size, department., loss, researcher. misc .million, cost, ·about, .billion, total, .approximately
19041 | 0.92 A
relief n
adj great, humanitarian, international, comic, federal, temporary, welcome, sharp noun tax., sigh., .effort, ·worker, pain, .agency, disaster. verb provide., feel, breathe., bring., seek., offer., express., .flood, .wash, organize 18149 | 0.96
combination n
adj different, various, possible, right, unique, rare, unusual, perfect, powerful, strange noun .factor, drug, color, .therapy, variable, .lock, method, speed, ·element, characteristic verb use., offer., involve., result, contain., test, consist, employ., mix 18592 | 0.94 A
investor n
adj foreign, individual, institutional, small, private, potential, real, long-term, financial, average noun stock, fund, group, .confidence, share, bond, value, interest, investment, estate. verb .buy, sell, attract., own, seek, protect., recommend., advise., close., scare. 20674 | 0.85 M N
due i
(due to) .to, may., .fact, .lack, high, change, difference, part., loss, effect, largely., partly., increase, low
19540 | 0.89 A
silence n
adj long, awkward, stunned, dead, uncomfortable, sudden, total, complete, eerie, deafening noun moment, minute, sound, code., second, wall., conspiracy. verb break, sit., .follow, fall, fill, stand., walk., listen, eat., drive. 19621 | 0.89 F
manner n
adj good, similar, timely, consistent, bad, appropriate, efficient, following, professional, traditional noun table., bedside., .death, style, speech, comedy., custom verb .speak, act., teach., behave., respond., mind., proceed., address, dress, handle
18618 | 0.94 A
muscle n
adj abdominal, strong, low, smooth, skeletal, lean, tight, pulled, increased, taut noun .group, back, bone, body, heart, strength, .mass, tissue, arm, .cell verb use, build., flex., relax, help, stretch, move, strengthen., cause, contract 20417 | 0.85 M
branch n
adj legislative, broken, olive, judicial, local, military, dead, bare, various, green noun executive., tree, ·government, bank, .office, library, spring., .manager verb open, hang, cut, close, remove, snap, bend, swing, establish., extend 18239 | 0.96
chain n
adj large, big, key, retail, fast-food, major, heavy, complex, golden, nuclear noun food., store, ·command, .reaction, link, gold., restaurant, supply., ·event verb break, set, pull, hang, wear., own, form, attach, bind, dangle 18272 | 0.95
long c
(as long as) as, for., stay, keep, .remember, live, remain, continue, last, fine., month, hour, alive, care
17843 | 0.98
telephone n
adj cellular, local, long-distance, mobile, regular, unlisted, cordless, standard noun .number, ·company, .interview, .line, .service, .conversation, ·pole verb .call, use., .ring, talk, answer., pick., speak., receive., return., disconnect 18398 | 0.95
investigate v
noun study., case, police., research., .effect, committee., commission., .relationship, department, ·allegation, researcher., .crime, issue, .complaint, ·matter misc .whether, far, begin., .possible, thoroughly, independent., fully 18608 | 0.93 A