Commonly confused words

Abhorrent vs Aberrant

Abhorrent vs Aberrant

Abhorrent is used to express strong disapproval or disgust towards an idea

Aberrant on the other hand is used to describe something that is different from the typical standards

Adverse vs Averse

Adverse is used for something that is harmful

Averse is just a strong feeling of dislike or opposition

Afflict vs Inflict

Afflict" means to cause pain, suffering, or trouble. It refers to the state of being affected by something distressing or harmful. For example, "The community was afflicted by a series of natural disasters."

Inflict" means to cause something unpleasant or harmful deliberately. It often implies an action or the deliberate imposition of suffering or damage. For example, "The ruler decided to inflict severe punishment on the rebels."

allude vs elude

Allude" means to make an indirect reference or mention something without explicitly stating it. For example, "She alluded to an upcoming project without giving away any details."

"Elude" means to escape from or avoid something skillfully, often implying a sense of evasion. For example, "The suspect managed to elude the police for weeks."

amicable vs amiable

AMICABLE refers to friendliness or goodwill between groups or people

whereas

AMIABLE refers to friendliness of a person

amoral vs immoral

AMORAL has no sense of right or wrong

whereas

an IMMORAL person doesn’t care about the right or wrong

amuse vs bemuse

AMUSE means to entertain someone

whereas

BEMUSE means to confuse someone

anecdote va antidote

an ANECDOTE is a funny little story

whereas

ANTiDOTE is used to counteract poision

appraise vs apprise

APPRAISE means to estimate the value of something

whereas

APPRISE means to tell

assent vs ascent

ASSENT refers to agreement

whereas

ASCENT is a climb

assume vs presume

ASSUME means to believe or suppose something without any proof ( it also means to take form of something)

whereas

PRESUME means to be sure of something before it happens

aver vs avow

AVER means to affirm or state something

whereas

AVOW is to openly declare

border vs boarder

BORDER is outer edge of something

whereas

BOARDER is someone who pays to live and eat somewhere like a boarding school

bridal vs bridle

BRIDAL is related to a bride

whereas

BRIDLE is straps put on a horse to control it

broach vs brooch

to BROACH a subject is to bring it up

whereas

BROOCH is a decorative pin

callus vs callous

CALLUS is a rough patch of skin

whereas

CALLOUS is a person insensitive to others feelings

cannon vs canon

CANNON is a long heavy gun on wheel

whereas

CANON is a set of rules or tradition

canvas vs canvass

CANVAS is a thick cotton cloth

whereas

CANVASS is to solicit votes

capital vs capitol

CAPITAL is a stash of money

whereas

CAPITOL is a building in which a state legislative body meets

censor vs censure

CENSOR hides information

whereas

CENSURE is a harsh criticism

chord vs cord

CHORD is three or more musical note together

whereas

CORD is a thick string

complement vs compliment

COMPLEMENT is to complete

whereas

a COMPLIMENT is flattering

concurrent vs consecutive

CONCURRENT means at the same time

whereas

CONSECUTIVE means one after another in a series

confident vs confidant

CONFIDENT is what you feel

whereas

CONFIDANT is a person with whom one shares a secret

connotation vs denotation

CONNOTATION is the feeling that a word evokes

whereas

DENOTATION is the literal meaning of the word

connote vs denote

CONNOTE is to imply a meaning or a condition indirectly

whereas

DENOTE is to refer to something outright

contemptible vs contemptuous

CONTEMPTIBLE is worthy of contempt or despicable

whereas

CONTEMPTUOUS is filled with contempt or scornful

continual vs continuous

CONTINUAL is something that occurs frequently

whereas

CONTINUOUS is never ending

correlation vs corollary

CORRELATION is relation between two events

whereas

COROLLARY describes a result that is the natural consequence of something

council vs counsel

COUNCIL is meeting for discussion or advice

whereas

COUNSEL is a verb meaning to give advice

decent vs descent vs dissent

DECENT means sufficient or acceptable

whereas

DESCENT means the act of moving downwards , dropping or falling

whereas

DISSENT means to publicly disagree with an official opinion or decision

definitely vs definitively

DEFINITELY is used when you have no doubt about something

whereas

DEFINITIVELY means it won’t change

demur vs demure

DEMUR is to show reluctance or to hesitate

whereas

DEMURE is reserved , modest and shy person

didactic vs pedantic

DIDACTIC is intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive

whereas

PEDANTIC is someone excessively concerned with minor details or rules

disassemble vs dissemble

DISASSEMBLE is to take something apart

whereas

DISSEMBLE is to hide your true self

discomfit vs discomfort

DISCOMFIT is to embarrass someone

whereas

DISCOMFORT means uncomfortable

discreet vs discrete

DISCREET is something quiet, prudent or restrained

whereas

DISCRETE means separate , individual or divided

disillusions vs dissolution

DISILLUSION is to make someone realise their belief isn’t true

whereas

DISSOLUTION of a relationship means it’s broken or ended

disinterested vs uninterested

DISINTERESTED is someone unbiased or neutral

whereas

UNINTERESTED is someone who doesn’t care

disperse vs disburse

DISPERSE is to scatter or spread out

whereas

DISBURSE is to distribute funds

dual vs duel

DUAL is two or double

whereas

DUEL is a fight

elusive vs illusive

ELUSIVE things are hard to find,pin down or remember

whereas

ILLUSIVE is not real

emigrate vs immigrate

EMIGRATE is to leave one’s country to live in another

whereas

IMMIGRATE is come into another country to live permanently

eminent vs imminent vs immanent

EMINENT describes anyone who is famous

whereas

IMMINENT describes something that is about to happen

whereas

IMMANENT is inherent

endemic vs epidemic

ENDEMIC disease is found in a certain areas

whereas

EPIDEMIC is widespread disease

envelop vs envelope

ENVELOP is to surround something completely

whereas

ENVELOPE is to put letters

epigram vs epigraph

EPIGRAM is a clever little statement

whereas

EPIGRAPH is an engraved inscription on a building or statue

epitaph vs epithet

EPITAPH is inscription on a gravestone

whereas

EPITHET is a descriptive nickname

especially vs specially

ESPECIALLY describes something that can be singled out as better or more

whereas

SPECIALLY means for a special purpose

exalt vs exult

EXALT means to glorify or elevate something

whereas

EXULT is to rejoice

expedient vs expeditious

EXPEDIENT is a convenient way to achieve a goal but it might be improper or immoral

whereas

EXPEDITIOUS is speedy quick and efficient

extant vs extent

EXTANT is used to describe old things that are still around

whereas

EXTENT is range or degree of something

facetious vs factious vs fatuous vs fractious

FACETIOUS is treating serious issue with deliberately inappropriate humor

whereas

FACTIOUS is a group that breaks away

whereas

FATUOUS is silly / stupid

whereas

FRACTIOUS are irritating children

faint vs feint

FAINT is barely there

whereas

FEINT is a sneaky movement

ferment vs foment

FERMENT is used for foods

whereas

FOMENT is to stir up trouble

flair vs flare

FLAIR is a natural talent for something

whereas

FLARE is a sudden burst of light

flaunt vs flout

FLAUNT is to show off

whereas

FLOUT is to disregard a law openly

to flounder vs to founder

TO FLOUNDER is to struggle or wobble around awkwardly

whereas

TO FOUNDER is to fail miserably

gambit vs gamut

GAMBIT is a strategic move in which someone sacrifices something upfront for future gain or advantage

whereas

GAMUT is a full or complete range

gibe vs jibe

GIBE is an insulting comment

whereas

JIBE means to be compatible with or similar to

gig vs jig

GIG is a temporary job or a musical performance

whereas

JIG is a lively dance

gorilla vs guerilla

GORILLA is an animal

whereas

GUERILLA is a member of loosely organized army that fights larger and stronger forces

grisly vs gristly vs grizzly

GRISLY means disgusting, boodly, repulsive and horrible

whereas

GRISTLY means rubbery or full of cartilage

whereas

GRIZZLY is a north american species of bear also known as silvertip bear

hale vs hail

HALE means to be strong and in good health

whereas

HAIL is chunks of ice falling from the sky or it can be a way to tell someone your hometown or where you come from and it is also used to greet someone

healthy vs healthful

HEALTHY is someone who is fit and utterly not sick

whereas

HEALTHFUL describes something that will create good health like apples or yoga

historic vs historical

HISTORIC describes something huge that happened in the past that affected the human history and is still significant to this day

whereas

HISTORICAL is just something concerned with past and doesn’t really have that worldwide significance

hoard vs horde

HOARD is to gather or collect a bunch of something

whereas

HORDE is a large unorganized group of individuals

homograph vs homophone vs homonym

HOMOGRAPHS are words that are spelt the same but have different meanings

whereas

HOMOPHONES are words that may or may not be spelled differently but sound the same and have different meanings

whereas

HOMONYM that are spelt and sound the same but have different meanings

hone vs home

HONE is to sharpen something like a knife

whereas

HOME is where you live

indeterminate vs indeterminable

INDETERMINATE means not known or decided

whereas

INDETERMINABLE describes something that can’t be known for sure

indict vs indite

INDICT is accusing someone of committing an offence

whereas

INDITE is to compose or write down something

ingenious vs ingenuous

INGENIOUS is clever, original and inventive

whereas

INGENUOUS is childlike innocence , trust and openness

insidious vs invidious

INSIDIOUS is slowly and secretly causing harm

whereas

INVIDIOUS is resentful or discriminatory

auger vs augur

AUGER is a tool for boring holes in wood

whereas

AUGUR means to portend good or bad outcome

irony vs satire vs sarcasm

IRONY is strange or funny situations when outcome happens to be opposite of what you expected

whereas

SATIRE means making fun of people in a silly or exaggerated way

whereas

SARCASM is insincere speech. mocking someone ironically

laudable vs laudatory

LAUDABLE is something that deserves praise or admiration

whereas

LAUDATORY is something that expresses praise

lay vs lie

LAY is a transitive verb that directly follows and object, e.g lay eggs or lay the book down

whereas

LIE is when you lie OR you lie down when you are sleepy OR you wonder what lies ahead of you

legislator vs legislature

LEGISLATOR is an individual who is a member of legislative body

whereas

LEGISLATURE is a governing body that makes laws

levee vs levy

LEVEE is a dam like embankment constructed to prevent the overflow of a water body

whereas

LEVY is tax or fees imposed by the government

loath vs loathe

LOATH is to be reluctant to do something

whereas

to LOATHE is to hate

lone vs loan

LONE is solo or alone

vs

LOAN is lending money

luxuriant vs luxurious

LUXURIANT is full of or lush or thick or rich in

whereas

LUXURIOUS describes something of very high quality or expensive taste

manner vs manor

MANNER is the way in which something is done

whereas

MANOR is a big house/ mansion

mantle vs mantel

MANTLE is a cloak / also refers to power or authority

whereas

MENTEL is a shelf or anything above a fireplace

medal vs meddle vs mettle

MEDAL is an award for some contest

whereas

MEDDLE is to interfere

whereas

METTLE is a person’s ability to cope with difficulties

nauseated vs nauseous

NAUSEATED is when you feel sick and might throw up

whereas

NAUSEOUS is something that causes nausea

naval vs navel

NAVAL is related to navy

whereas

NAVEL is your belly button

objective vs subjective

OBJECTIVE is unbiased and based on facts

whereas

SUBJECTIVE is open to interpretation

palate vs palette vs pallet

PALATE is used when talking about foods

PALETTE is range of colours or a paint palette

PALLET is a kind of wood frame

parameter vs perimeter

PARAMETER is a the limit of something / constant

PERIMETER refers to border of an enclosed surface

peek vs peak vs pique

PEEK is a quick glance

PEAK is pointy top of something

whereas

PIQUE is a feeling of irritation it also means to arouse interest

pedal vs peddle

PEDAL is something you push with your feet

PEDDLE is to sell something

or to sell something illegal

or to advocate an unreliable idea

persecute vs prosecute

PERSECUTE is to make someone suffer / harass someone persistently

whereas'

PROSECUTE is to take legal action against

piteous vs pitiable vs pitiful vs pitiless

something PITEOUS makes you feel pity

whereas

PITIABLE is something pathetic or miserable condition

whereas

PITIFUL is pathetic as in pitiful efforts

whereas

PITILESS is cruel

practical vs practicable

PRACTICAL is something useful or sensible

whereas

PRACTICABLE is something that can be reasonably done

precedent vs president

PRECEDENT is something that sets the standard for future events

whereas

PRESIDENT is the person officially incharge

predominate vs predominant

PREDOMINATE is a verb that means to prevail , have greater importance or quantity

whereas

PREDOMINANT is an adjective used to describe something with the greatest importance

premier vs premiere

PREMIER means first in importance , order, or position / LEADING

whereas

PREMIERE is the first show of a work of art

prescribe vs proscribe

PRESCRIBE is to recommend something or give orders for something to be done

whereas

PROSCRIBE is to forbid or prohibit something

pretentious vs portentous

PRETENTIOUS is to attempt to impress by affecting greater importance than actually possessed

whereas

PORTENTOUS is ominously prophetic / FOREBODING