seemingly antonyms, but more truly synonyms or semi- or demi-synonyms. The criterion is that words syntactically indicate opposite in meaning but actually similar in meaning.
cry, decry │ you can cry, as in crying out loud, but you can also decry, by crying out loud
linear, rectilinear │ linear algebra, rectilinear motion. Rectilinear is the linearness of motion.
enfranchise, franchise │
flammable, inflammable │ my wound has inflamed like a wild flame.
famous, infamous │ good guys are famous, bad guys are infamous.
title, entitle │ I'm entitled to title a book of my own penmanship. Title is to emphasize identification. To entitle a book is to emphasize titling.
kindle, enkindle │
Amend, emend │ I amend text by emending.
overwhelm, whelm │ We could say that men are whelmed, women are overwhelmed.
shamed, ashamed │ I'm ashamed to be shamed in public. Ashamed is shaming of shame. (while, sleep/asleep, wake/awake probably do not make this list.)
commend, recommend │ I commend his recommendation. Commend is like a positive recommendation.
regardless, irregardless │ irregardless of the ir prefix, it means the same as without.
indiscriminate, undiscriminate │ both words are indiscriminate or undiscriminate.
stressed, distressed │ I'm distressed to be so stressed or vice versa. Stress brings us pressure and strain, distress brings up anguish and panic.
fatigable, indefatigable │
bone, debone │
nude, denuded │
guise, disguise │
haste, posthaste │
genius, ingenious │ ingenious is as if something done by a genius.
cute, acute │
cease, decease │
kin, akin │
In the grand language of English, a- anti- dis- un- im- ir- in- de- all jostle for opposition. Unwittingly, to wit: aperiodic; antihero, antipathy, antithesis; peccable, impeccable; maculate, immaculate; pervious, impervious, impure; irregular, indifferent, detached/attached, insensible, impartial, dispassionate, unbiased, apathetic, impassive, unfeeling, disinterested, uninterested, untouched, irresponsible, disdain.
Synonymous Antonyms
Note: these may not be antonyms, but just not synonyms. The criterion is that words syntactically similar in meaning but semantically not.
same, indifferent │ indifferent means impartial.
impart, impartial │
disinterested, uninterested │ the former means impartial, the latter of no interest.