A contronym (also spelled contranym) is a word – or short phrase – that is its own opposite. Contronyms can be useful to managers wanting to deliberately create ambiguity, to avoid being accountable for actions, policies, planning or decisions.
Here are some examples to help you with your obfuscation:
Off
off (the switch is off)
on (the alarm went off).
Seed
to seed can mean to plant or to fund
to remove seeds.
Bill
an invoice for payment
a payment.
Citation
commendation
condemnation.
Hoi polloi (who are you marketing to?)
the rank and file
the elite.
Hack
a brilliant solution
an improvised hodge-podge.
Oversight (one of my favourite types of committee)
watching over
not noticing.
Quantum leap
a tiny bit
a major change.
Strike
a success
a failure.
Consult
to give advice
to receive advice.
Lease or rent
to pay for the use of something
to receive money for the use of something.
Fix
to mend
to castrate.
Hold up
to help
to hinder.
Sanction (this is the classic example of a contronym)
to endorse
to boycott.
Scan
to view carefully
to view superficially.
Table
to bring forward to discussion
to withdraw from discussion.
Wind up
to start
to finish.
Model
a paradigm
a copy.
Presently
now
soon.
Fine
excellent
satisfactory.
Custom
common practice
special treatment.
Give out
to provide
to cease due to lack of supply.
With
alongside
against.
Transparent (transparency is a management value)
invisible
obvious.
Stakeholder
someone with a stake in an organisation
a bystander holding a stake for those placing a bet.
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