Semantic Synonyms?

Question

Hi,First of all, by the subject i meant two words that are not actually synonyms but logically can be considered so, like, the ones formed by negation. I would be really grateful if someone introduce me with the technical term.And here is the question: Are "Less dependent" and "More independent" ,in actuality, synonyms?I am no native speaker, but I think the first phrase is used mostly when we are referring to something material, like the basic needs, and by the second we usually mean behaviors or the personality of a person.Then again, this is my impression and I ask you to correct me from the standpoint of a native speaker.Thank you very much.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

movoSemantic Synonyms?

"Semantic" means "having to do with meaning". There are no other kinds of synonyms, so there is no need to specify "semantic". Two words whose meanings are very similar, if not identical, are called synonyms.

movoAnd here is the question: Are "Less dependent" and "More independent" ,in actuality, synonyms?

Not really. The typical case of a synonymous relationship occurs between two words, not between multi-word expressions. You might say that 'reliant' is a synonym of 'dependent', for example.

What you have here (with a small modification shown below) is what I'd call logical equivalents.

less dependent on / more independent of

Helen is less dependent on her mother than her little sister is.
=
Helen is more independent of her mother than her little sister is.

Likewise, to mention another example, 'not to stay' is not, strictly speaking, a synonym of 'to leave', even though they can be placed in a sentence in such a way that they can be logical equivalents.

Many of the guests decided [not to stay / to leave].

No doubt there are many other such examples to be found in English.

CJ

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