Necessary Opposite Adjectives: English Vocabulary List

good at learning things, understanding ideas, and thinking clearly

"The dolphin is intelligent."

"The intelligent student always asked thoughtful questions in class and his teachers were impressed by his curiosity and deep understanding of complex topics."

lacking the ability to understand, reason, or make good decisions

"The comment was unintelligent."

"The unintelligent comment made by the politician caused a lot of criticism from the public who expected more thoughtful and informed statements from their leaders."

bringing enjoyment and happiness

"The weather is pleasant."

"The pleasant weather allowed us to eat our lunch outside on the patio instead of inside the office."

not liked or enjoyed

"The smell is unpleasant."

"The unpleasant experience at the dentist made him afraid to go back so he avoided checkups for several years afterward."

not paying enough attention to what we are doing

"The driver was careless."

"The careless waiter spilled hot coffee on the customer's lap and the restaurant manager had to apologize and comp their entire meal for free."

showing good manners and respectful behavior towards others

"You should be polite."

"The polite young man held the door open for the elderly woman who was carrying several heavy bags of groceries."

having bad manners or behavior

"It is impolite to interrupt."

"It is impolite to interrupt someone while they are speaking so you should wait until they finish before you share your opinion."

not kind or nice toward other people

"The dog was unfriendly."

"The unfriendly receptionist did not smile or say hello when the guests arrived at the hotel lobby."

conforming to what is generally anticipated or considered typical

"He arrived at the usual time."

"He arrived at the usual time but the meeting had already started early so he missed the first ten minutes completely."

not commonly happening or done

"The weather is unusual."

"It is unusual for it to snow in this region during spring so everyone was surprised when the white flakes started falling."

having or bringing good luck

"You are very lucky."

"He felt lucky to have survived the accident without any serious injuries and he thanked the doctors who saved his life."

having or bringing bad luck

"I am unlucky today."

"The unlucky man missed his flight by five minutes and then the next available flight was not until the following morning at six am."

not having all the necessary parts

"My work is incomplete."

"The incomplete homework assignment received a failing grade because the student had only answered half of the questions and left the rest blank."

not having a good physical or mental condition

"Smoking is unhealthy."

"The unhealthy air quality in the city caused many residents to develop respiratory problems and asthma over time due to pollution from factories."

not liked or approved of by a large number of people

"My opinion is unpopular."

"The unpopular decision to raise taxes angered many voters and the politician's approval ratings dropped significantly after the new policy was announced to the public."

having a high degree of risk or danger

"The bridge is unsafe."

"The unsafe building was condemned by the city because the walls were cracked the roof was leaking and the foundation was sinking into the ground."

not feeling physically or mentally healthy or fit

"I feel unwell."

"She felt unwell after eating the seafood and suspected that the mussels might have been undercooked or not fresh at all."

having a lot of value

"This test is important."

"It is very important to drink enough water every day because dehydration can cause serious health problems over time."

having no value or significance

"His comment is unimportant."

"He considered the details to be unimportant so he skipped reading the fine print and signed the contract quickly."

able to exist, happen, or be done

"Is it possible?"

"Is it possible for us to finish this project by Friday if we work overtime every night this week."

not able to occur, exist, or be done

"That is impossible."

"The impossible task of climbing the mountain without proper equipment seemed doomed to fail but the experienced climbers knew exactly what they were doing."

suitable for friendly, relaxed, casual, or unofficial occasions and situations

"The party is informal."

"The informal gathering at the park did not require fancy clothes and everyone came in jeans and t shirts with comfortable sneakers for walking."

continuing to exist, breathe, and function

"The fish is still alive."

"The alive and active puppy ran around the yard chasing butterflies and barking at squirrels while its owner watched from the porch swing."

bringing enjoyment and happiness

"The day was pleasant."

"They enjoyed a pleasant evening stroll through the park, admiring the blooming flowers and gentle breeze."

giving attention or thought to what we are doing to avoid doing something wrong, hurting ourselves, or damaging something

"Be careful."

"Be careful when you cross the street because the cars drive very fast on this road and the drivers often do not see pedestrians."

(of a person or their manner) kind and nice toward other people

"The neighbor is friendly."

"The friendly cashier always remembered her regular customers' names and asked about their families and weekend plans."

not kind or nice toward other people

"The waiter is unfriendly."

"The unfriendly receptionist did not smile or say hello when the guests arrived at the hotel lobby."

having or bringing good luck

"You are lucky."

"He felt lucky to have survived the accident without any serious injuries and he thanked the doctors who saved his life."

having all the necessary parts

"This is complete."

"The puzzle was finally complete after we found the last elusive piece."

making someone feel well or showing good health

"He is healthy."

"Eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly contributes to a healthy lifestyle."

likely to make someone sick

"This is unhealthy."

"Consuming too much processed food can lead to unhealthy weight gain and other complications."

receiving a lot of love and attention from many people

"This song is popular."

"The popular restaurant was always crowded and reservations had to be made at least two weeks in advance to guarantee a table for dinner."

protected from any danger

"The neighborhood is safe."

"The safe neighborhood had very little crime and families felt comfortable letting their children play outside until dark without worrying about their safety."

having good health, especially after recovering from an illness or injury

"I am well now."

"I hope you are feeling well today because we have a lot of work to do and we need your help."

suitable for fancy, important, serious, or official occasions and situations

"The dress code is formal."

"The formal dress code required men to wear suits and ties and women to wear elegant evening gowns or cocktail dresses to the wedding."

not alive anymore

"The flower is dead."

"The dead battery in the car meant that she could not start the engine and she had to call a friend to give her a jump start."