Question

Identify the type of antonym Borrow ↔ Lend

• A. Gradable
• B. Complementary
• C. Converse
• D. None of the above

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Converse

Antonyms are classified into three types:

1. Gradable Antonyms – Words that represent opposite ends of a spectrum and allow for degrees in between (e.g., hot ↔ cold, big ↔ small).

2. Complementary Antonyms – Words that have a mutually exclusive relationship; if one exists, the other cannot (e.g., alive ↔ dead, true ↔ false).

3. Converse Antonyms – Words that describe a reciprocal relationship, meaning one action or state depends on the other (e.g., buy ↔ sell, parent ↔ child).

"Borrow" and "Lend" are converse antonyms because borrowing requires someone to lend, and lending requires someone to borrow. They describe the same action from different perspectives.