English is filled with words that have reverse or opposite meanings, depending on the context. Here's what you need to know about contronyms. Skip to main content.

Even the most basic of words can substantially change their meanings over time. To prove it, here are seven words that used to mean something, and now mean exactly the opposite. 1.

Overlook usually means the opposite: “to fail to see or observe; to pass over without noticing; to disregard, ignore,” according to the Oxford English Dictionary. 3. Left .

A word should not, in a perfect world, mean the opposite of itself; if galaxies comprise stars, surely stars cannot comprise galaxies. But in fact there are lots of words that are their own ...