Assertion: sanction's meaning | /r/HasProperty | opposite
Facets:
value: nearly
type: DEGREE
value: directly
type: MANNER
Source sentences:
text: Sanction has two nearly opposite meanings: to sanction can be to approve of something, but it can also mean to punish, or speak harshly to.
text: Because it has meanings that are nearly the opposite of each other, sanction can be considered a contranym or a Janus word (a reference to the Roman god Janus, who is often shown with two heads facing opposite directions).
text: Sanction is a noun which has two directly opposite meanings, which makes it a auto-antonym or contronym (i.e., a word that can contradict itself).
text: sanction” can also have the opposite meaning; rather than being a punishment intended to deter an activity, it may be a form of approval which indicates that an activity is acceptable.