Last Friday I introduced you to aptanagrams. Today we have something called antigrams, from chapter 2 (pp. 5-6) of Tyrannosaurus Lex: The Marvelous Book of Palindromes, Anagrams, & Other Delightful & Outrageous Wordplay, by Rod L. Evans, Ph.D. Here is an explanation of antigrams, along with selected examples:
When the letters of words or phrases are rearranged to form words or phrase opposite in meaning (antonyms), antigrams result. Because it is easier to find words related in meaning to other words than words that carry contrary or opposite meanings, antigrams are rarer than apt anagrams. One of the most famous antigrams is Santa/Satan. Some of the following examples have contrasting rather than opposite meanings.
antagonist ≠ not against
demoniacal ≠ a docile man
diplomacy ≠ mad policy
dormitories ≠ tidier rooms
earliest ≠ rise late
filled ≠ ill-fed
forty-five ≠ over fifty
honorees ≠ no heroes
mentors ≠ monster
militarism ≠ i limit arms
restful ≠ fluster
sweltering heat ≠ the winter gales
teacher ≠ cheater
within earshot ≠ i won’t hear this
Kara Church
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