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| In Roman mythology, Janus presided over the beginning and ending of conflict, including war and peace. |
Most people learned in school that an antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word. Children learn about opposites at a young age: up/down, in/out, hot cold. Contronyms are somewhat related but quite different.
An example of these words that are their own antonyms is "oversight." What does this sentence mean? "The supervisor's oversight led to the procedure's approval." Does it mean that the supervisor was inattentive and so allowed something to be approved that shouldn't have been approved? Or, does it mean that because he was overseeing a procedure properly it was approved?
That's a contronym. You may also see them referred to as an auto-antonym or autantonym, or Janus word - a word with multiple meanings of which one is the reverse of another.
I heard on the news recently that some members of Congress might be sanctioned, meaning a penalty will be imposed upon them. But a sanction can also mean "to give official permission or approval" which is quite different in meaning.
A few others:
Cleave can mean "to cling to or adhere," and also "to split or sever."
Fast can mean "moving rapidly," as in running fast, or "fixed, unmoving," as in holding fast.
You can weather a hurricane (to withstand or come safely through) but a seaside home can look weathered because it has been worn away by the elements, because weather is a contronym.
