How to use this list. Read the sentence first, then cover the synonyms and ask your child to supply one. Then do the same for the antonyms. That flip — same meaning, then opposite meaning — is exactly what the paper tests, and it is much harder than recognising a definition.
A note on why this matters. In a "closest in meaning" question, the wrong answers are deliberately nearly right, and one is often the exact opposite of the target word. A child who knows a word only vaguely will be caught. A child who can produce both a synonym and an antonym on demand will not.
| Word, meaning & example | Synonyms | Antonyms |
|---|---|---|
| Abundant existing in very large quantities “After the summer rain, the garden was abundant with butterflies.” | plentiful, ample, copious | scarce, sparse |
| Reluctant unwilling; hesitant “She was reluctant to get out of bed on the first frosty morning.” | hesitant, unwilling, disinclined | eager, willing, keen |
| Conceal to hide from view “He tried to conceal the present behind his back.” | hide, disguise, cover | reveal, expose, disclose |
| Feeble weak; lacking strength “The kitten gave a feeble miaow, too tired to play.” | frail, weak, faint | robust, sturdy, powerful |
| Tranquil calm and peaceful “The lake was so tranquil we could see the clouds reflected in it.” | serene, peaceful, placid | turbulent, agitated, chaotic |
| Obstinate stubbornly refusing to change “The obstinate pony refused to move, however gently we pulled.” | stubborn, headstrong, wilful | compliant, flexible, yielding |
| Commence to begin “The head teacher announced that the concert would commence at seven.” | begin, start, initiate | conclude, cease, finish |
| Diminish to make or become smaller “As we walked away, the sound of the music began to diminish.” | decrease, dwindle, shrink | increase, expand, amplify |
| Vital absolutely necessary “Drinking enough water is vital if you are playing sport all afternoon.” | essential, crucial, indispensable | trivial, unnecessary, minor |
| Hostile unfriendly and aggressive “The swan gave us a hostile stare as we neared its nest.” | antagonistic, unfriendly, aggressive | friendly, amiable, welcoming |
| Candid honest and direct “Her friend was candid and admitted she had forgotten the book.” | frank, blunt, forthright | evasive, guarded, secretive |
| Novice a beginner “Although she was a novice at chess, she beat her uncle.” | beginner, apprentice, learner | expert, veteran, master |
| Peril serious danger “The explorers were in great peril when the storm swept in.” | danger, hazard, jeopardy | safety, security |
| Lenient not strict; merciful “Their teacher was lenient about the late homework.” | merciful, tolerant, indulgent | strict, severe, harsh |
| Genuine real and authentic “She gave a genuine smile when she saw who was waiting.” | authentic, real, sincere | fake, counterfeit, artificial |
| Resilient able to recover quickly “He was resilient: he lost the first round but won the next.” | tough, hardy, adaptable | fragile, brittle, vulnerable |
| Frugal careful with money “Being frugal all term meant she could afford the bike.” | thrifty, economical, sparing | extravagant, wasteful, lavish |
| Arduous requiring great effort “The final mile was arduous, uphill and against the wind.” | strenuous, laborious, gruelling | easy, effortless, simple |
| Conspicuous very easy to notice “Her bright red coat was conspicuous in the grey crowd.” | obvious, prominent, noticeable | inconspicuous, hidden, subtle |
| Ambiguous unclear; open to more than one meaning “His answer was so ambiguous that nobody knew if he agreed.” | unclear, vague, equivocal | clear, definite, explicit |
Three ways to make these stick
- Use it in a sentence about their own life. "Give me a sentence with reluctant about our house." Personal sentences are remembered far better than abstract ones.
- Ask for the opposite, not the definition. Producing an antonym forces a deeper level of processing than recognising a meaning.
- Come back after a few days. Spacing beats repetition. Five words revisited across two weeks beat twenty crammed in one evening.
What to do next
Twenty words is a start; the useful working vocabulary for the 11 plus runs to several hundred. Read widely — that is still the single most effective route — and drill a curated list alongside it so the highest-frequency words are secure.