# What Other Words that Seem to Negate Each Other, Are Actually Synonyms? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 16, 2002, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329 "2002-06-16T07:02:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/1 "2002-06-16T07:02:37Z")
Please see the following examples: Inflammable. Once the preferred word to mean _“Catches fire easily”_ as in _“Inflammable Liquid”_. Flammable. Now the preferred word for something that easily catches fire. This is a fairly recent addition to the English language. Uncanny vs. Canny. I once read somewhere that these words essentially mean the exact same thing in the English language–_strange_ and _unusual_, I would assume. **What other words in the English language seem to negate each other, but actually mean the exact same thing?** Please realize that these are the only two words that I could come up with off the top of my head at the moment. Please also realize that I am aware of the fact that it is a good idea to put cites in your OP, so people can check up on your information if necessary. The only problem is I don’t know where I heard the _Canny v. Uncanny_ thing. And I thought Cecil Adams did a piece on _flammable v. inflammable_. Only I can’t find that item either– **anywhere** in his archives:(. Oh, well. If I find anything else useful, I’ll put it here first chance I get :). TTFN:D ---
**Author:** ![andy\_fl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@andy\_fl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andy_fl)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/2 "2002-06-16T07:20:43Z")
Interesting post. Any insight into Idioms that mean the opposite ? ([http://www.rightwords.co.nz/idioms.html](http://www.rightwords.co.nz/idioms.html)) ---
**Author:** ![Jabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@Jabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jabba)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/3 "2002-06-16T07:29:28Z")
In British English, at least, canny means shrewd, skillful or knowing. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/4 "2002-06-16T07:33:20Z")
Regardless and Irregardless. ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/5 "2002-06-16T08:05:48Z")
Famous and Infamous. Yeah, there’s a difference in meaning, but someone who’s infamous is also famous, right? ---
**Author:** ![partly\_warmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@partly\_warmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partly_warmer)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/6 "2002-06-16T08:23:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pravnik \* > \*\*Regardless and Irregardless. \*\* Whoops. Irregardless isn’t a word, but a common English mistake that’s been written up in grammars for the last 20 years. It’s “irrespective” or “regardless”. So in a way, you’ve given the OP an interesting example of how two words can mean the same thing, but seeming sound different. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/7 "2002-06-16T08:26:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by partly\_warmer \* > \*\*Whoops. Irregardless isn’t a word, but a common English mistake that’s been written up in grammars for the last 20 years. It’s “irrespective” or “regardless”. So in a way, you’ve given the OP an interesting example of how two words can mean the same thing, but seeming sound different. \*\* I knew I would get called on that. I know, I know, it ain’t the king’s English. Sue me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/8 "2002-06-16T09:17:07Z")
Irregardless is a word, although you are right about its etymology. It is informal. Irregardless vs. regardless is as admissable in this question as duh vs. no duh. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/9 "2002-06-16T09:52:22Z")
“Its all uphill from here” and “its all downhill from here” both mean something bad is going to happen soon. ---
**Author:** ![partly\_warmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@partly\_warmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partly_warmer)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/10 "2002-06-16T11:15:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achernar \* > \*\*Irregardless is a word, although you are right about its etymology. It is informal. Irregardless vs. regardless is as admissable in this question as duh vs. no duh. \*\* The word exists in the sense that people understand it. It doesn’t, in three respects: 1. It’s twaddle created by English speakers, unfamiliar with body of educated English speech, who think that more syllables somehow make one sound educated. (Everyone has said this word in normal speech, but saying it doesn’t mean it isn’t a mistake.) 2. Merriam-Webster says to use “regardless” instead. 3. If I call someone a bumbletongue, I’m not using a word in the sense that it can be found in a dictionary, but it is in the sense that it can be readily understood. This doesn’t prove that “irregardless” or “bumbletongue” are correct. Bumbletongue, in fact (a word I just made up), is MORE legitimate than irregardless, because it wasn’t created by mistake, and doesn’t mean exactly the same as another, simpler, shorter, and well-understood word that already exists in the English language. The objection is not from a purist perspective, but rather simply seeking to avoid duplicate and superfluous words. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/11 "2002-06-16T11:59:25Z")
I understand your points. I maintain that it is a word because AHD has it as an entry, even if it does say _Informal_ or _Nonstandard_ and put a lengthy usage note about it. I agree that it was made by mistake, and that it is useless and probably deleterious to communication - I don’t think that makes it not exist, though. Here’s an excerpt from Merriam-Webster’s usage note on _irregardless_: > [@](#): > > The most frequently repeated remark about it is that “there is no such word.” There is such a word, however. The OP wanted pairs of words like inflammable and flammable. These strike me as just as superfluous. ---
**Author:** ![Weeks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbce88/32.png) [@Weeks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeks)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/12 "2002-06-16T12:39:44Z")
cleave/cleave? ---
**Author:** ![GoldenGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8edcca/32.png) [@GoldenGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoldenGael)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/13 "2002-06-16T16:55:13Z")
ravel and unravel ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/14 "2002-06-16T19:48:45Z")
overwhelmed and whelmed ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/15 "2002-06-16T21:13:34Z")
Slow up and slow down. ---
**Author:** ![glilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/48db29/32.png) [@glilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glilly)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/16 "2002-06-16T22:09:42Z")
> [@](#): > > You mean _inflammable_ means _flammable_? What a crazy language! -Dr. Nick Riviera from The Simpsons ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/17 "2002-06-16T22:22:16Z")
**Shalmanese** said: > [@](#): > > “Its all uphill from here” and “its all downhill from here” both mean something bad is going to happen soon. When I hear “its all downhill from here” used, it’s usually in the sense that the hard part is over and we can pretty much coast the rest of the way. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/18 "2002-06-16T22:25:15Z")
Get up and get down. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/19 "2002-06-16T23:28:47Z")
slim chance/fat chance ---
**Author:** ![Motog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@Motog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motog)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329/20 "2002-06-17T00:40:20Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by partly\_warmer \* > … The objection is not from a purist perspective, but rather simply seeking to avoid \*\* duplicate_\* and **superfluous** words. Umm… but isn’t that an example of… oh, never mind. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-other-words-that-seem-to-negate-each-other-are-actually-synonyms/114329.md?page=2)