250 Often Confused

Words
Below is a list of more than 250 words that speakers and writers of English often confuse.
They are called false cognates because they sound or are written so similarly that they
are often confused. Even if you are an excellent writer, you should read through this list;
otherwise, how will you know if you are confusing any words? We will soon have a quiz
that will help you check your knowledge of the most common false English cognates.
 The list broken into several shorter pages
 The Confused Word Quizzes

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•A•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
a lot A lot is two words meaning "much": A lot of bologna
allot was left over from the party.

a while A while is two words meaning "a short period of time":

awhile I will meet you in a while.

a A is an indefinite article to be used before nouns

an beginning with a consonant: a photograph, a tree, a
and horse.
An is to be used before nouns beginning with a vowel
(or vowel sound): an apple, an hour, an elephant.
And is a conjunction used between nouns in a list: A
blanket and picnic basket are needed for the
afternoon.

accede Accede means "to agree or allow": Hiram Cheaply

exceed finally acceded to accepting the presidency of the
company.
Exceed means "to go beyond, to surpass": The
amount of alcohol in his blood exceeded the previous
record.

accept Accept means "to take willingly": Miss Deeds accepted

the cup of hot tea even without a saucer.
except Except is a preposition meaning "excluding":
Everyone was disappointed with the party except Ida
Goodtime.

adapt Adapt means "to adjust": Minnie Miles quickly adapted

adept to living away from home.
adopt Adept means "skilled": Lucille is adept at speaking
languages.
Adopt means to "accept as your own": It was difficult
to adopt only one puppy from the animal shelter.

adverse Adverse means "unfavorable, hostile": Those driving

averse in adverse winter conditions may be putting
themselves at risk.
Averse means "unwilling or repelled": She was
immediately averse to the idea.

advice Advice is a noun meaning "an opinion given with the

advise intention of helping": My mother still gives me advice
even though I'm 40 years old.
Advise is a verb meaning "to give counsel or advice":
The meteorologist advised listeners to stay indoors
because of the extremely cold temperatures.

affect Affect is most often used as a verb meaning "to

effect influence": The president's speech affected his views of
the upcoming election.
The verb effect means "to cause": Batting her eyes so
flirtatiously effected a strong desire in Rathbone to
embrace Mirabelle.

aid Aid is help or assistance given: Every Christmas the

aide community gives aid to those less fortunate.
An aide is a person who helps: Frieda Gogh worked
five years as a teacher's aide.

airs Airs refers to snobbish and artificial behavior: Portia

heirs Radclyffe put on airs at the fine dinner party just
because she had a few diamonds.
Heirs are people who, because they are family, will
inherit an estate or title.

all right All right is a phrase meaning "everything is right": Is

alright all right here?
Alright is a single word meaning "OK": Is everything
alright here?
all together All together is applied to people or things that are
altogether being treated as a whole: We always had fun when we
were all together. To double check this usage, try
separating the two words: We all had fun when were
together.
Altogether is an adverb that means "completely or
totally": Using a flashlight in bed is an altogether new
approach to reading.

all ways All ways means "by every means or method": Dirk
always tried all ways to navigate the storm.
Always means "forever": Sue St. Marie always
responded calmly during emergency situations.

allude Allude means "to suggest indirectly": Leticia can't

elude speak to her husband without alluding to his affair with
Martha Snodgrass.
Elude means "to dodge or escape": Serious
relationships always seemed to elude him.

allusion An allusion is a subtle reference or hint: Rita Book

illusion made an allusion to the most recent novel she read in
our conversation yesterday.
An illusion is a deception, mirage, or a wild idea: The
teacher said she had no illusions about how much work
teaching demands.
almost Almost means "nearly all": Almost all my friends have
most graduated from college by now.
Most is superlative of more, meaning "the greatest or
to the highest degree": Chuck is the most computer
savvy guy I know, or Chuck cooked a most delicious
supper.

aloud Aloud means "speaking so that someone else can

allowed hear you": Read this paragraph aloud.
Allowed means "having permission": His boss allowed
him to take the weekend off.

already, all Already is an adverb that indicates an action is

ready completed by a certain time: Herschel had already
finished that whole pie.
All ready means "everything is completely prepared":
The children were all ready and bundled up warmly to
go caroling on the snowy evening.

alternately Alternately means "taking turns": We paddled

alternately so neither of us would get too tired.
alternatively Alternatively means "as an option": Instead of going
by train, we could have gone alternatively by car.

ambiguous Ambiguous is describes a phrase or act with more

ambivalent than one meaning, or one that is unclear: The ending
of the short story is ambiguous; we don't know if he
died or continue his journey.
Ambivalent means "uncertainty and having
conflicting attitudes and feelings": He was ambivalent
as to which candidate to vote for.

amiable Amiable refers to a person who is friendly, good-

amicable natured, and pleasant: Susan was very amiable and
liked immediately.
Amicable means "friendly and peaceable", and is used
to describe agreements or relationships between
groups or people: After years of disagreement, the two
countries came to an amicable agreement.

among Among is used for three or more: Shirley had to

between choose among three universities she might attend.
Between is used for two things: I couldn't decide
between blue and green.

amoral Amoral means "having no principles at all, good or

immoral bad": Percy is totally amoral; he is either helping
others or helping himself at their expense.
Immoral means "bad, lacking good principles":
Everything his brother does harms others whether it
benefits him or not.

amount Amount is used with uncountable and abstract nouns:

number a large amount of money, amount of work, amount of
happiness or amount of dirt.
Number is used with countable and concrete plural
expressions: a number of people, a number of
attempts, a number of novels, a number of trials.

amused Amused is when something is entertaining: The

bemused children were amused by watching the kittens play.
Bemused means "bewildered" or "lost in thought":
George was bemused by the unexpected ending to the
movie.

annual Annual means "yearly": We must pay an annual tax.

annul Annul means "to make void or invalid": They want to
annul the marriage.
any one Any one means "any one person": Any one of you may
anyone go, but not all of you.
Anyone means "anybody, any person at all": Anyone
can chew gum and walk at the same time.

anyway Anyway, anywhere, and nowhere are the correct

anywhere forms.
nowhere
anyways
anywheres
nowheres
apart Apart is an adverb meaning "in pieces": My plan for
a part my vacation fell apart.
A part is a noun meaning "one section of": A part of
my heart left when he did.

appraise Appraise is to assess or estimate the worth of: to

apprise appraise a diamond.
Apprise is to inform or notify: the officer apprised us
of our rights.

arcane Arcane refers to things known and understood by few

archaic people: Amanda Lynn teaches arcane theories of
modern music at the college.
Archaic refers to things very, very old and outdated:
The Oxford English Dictionary contains many words
that are archaic.

as As may be used as a conjunction that introduce

like dependent clauses: George talks as his father does.
Informally, it may also be used as a preposition in
comparative constructions like: Jean-Claude is as
forgetful as me (or as I am).
Like is a preposition is followed by a noun or pronoun:
George looks like his mother. It may also be used as an
adjective meaning "similar": George and I have like
minds.

ascent Ascent is an upward movement: Leo's ascent to the

assent presidency of the company came slowly.
Assent means "to agree to": Greta could not begin the
project unless management assented.

ascetic An ascetic is a person who renounces all material

aesthetic comforts, often for religious devotion: the young man
lead his ascetic lifestyle despite his parents' plans for
 him. It can also be used as an adjective: Ethan Asia led
an ascetic lifestyle.
Aesthetic refers to the philosophy of beauty or the
pleasing qualities of something: The statuette Leander
created was lacking in aesthetic qualities.

ascribe Ascribe means "to attribute to": She ascribed her

describe feelings of jealousy to insecurity.
Describe means "to show what something is by
drawing a picture with words": Describe in detail what
the man looked like.

aspersion Aspersion is slander, a damaging remark: The

dispersion campaign was filled with one aspersion after another.
Dispersion is the act of scattering: The dispersion of
seeds was irregular because he sowed the seeds by
hand.

assent See ascent, assent.

ascent
assistance Assistance is help or aid: the nurses gave assistance
assistants to the patients.
Assistants are more than one assistant, a person who
gives help: the emergency room assistants were ready
to help anyone who came through the door. (See also
patience and patients.)

assure Assure means "to guarantee": He assured her it was a

ensure quality item.
insure Ensure means "to make sure by double checking":
The custodian ensured the doors to the school were
locked at night.
Insure means "to provide insurance": It is wise to
insure your house against flood, fire, or theft.

auger An auger is a tool used for digging holes: If you want

augur to ice fish, you need to first drill a hole in the ice with
an auger.
Augur means "to predict, forecast": Leroy's
inheritance augured happiness for him in the future.
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 WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
bad Bad is an adjective used after verbs like am, feel, is,
badly seem, and become: They felt bad. (Using badly here
would mean that their skill at feeling is poor).
Badly is an adverb used after other verbs: They
played badly. Badly can also mean "greatly": They
needed food badly.

baited Baited usually refers to traps: Baiting deer in order to

bated hunt them is illegal in most states.
Bated is seldom used but means "reduced, abated":
Jessica bated her pace to let her running mate catch
up.

bare Bare means "naked": Walking in grass with bare feet

bear is refreshing.
Bear is the animal, and also means "to carry":
Sherman must bear the burden of flunking math twice.

bazaar Bazaar is an exhibition, market, or fair: The Saturday

bizarre morning bazaar is worth seeing even if you buy
nothing.
Bizarre means "weird and unworldly": Barry told us a
bizarre story last night.

belief Belief is a noun: He had strong beliefs.

believe Believe is a verb: She believes she can do anything.

beside Beside means "next to": Place the dishes beside the
besides sink.
Besides is an adverb or preposition that means "also,
additionally": I would enjoy going on a vacation
besides.

better Had better is the correct form, used when giving

had better advice that hints at an undesirable consequence if not
followed: You had better go to the doctor. Don't leave
out have.

between See among, between.

among
biannual Biannual is twice in one year: My trip to the dentist is
biennial a biannual event.
Biennial means "every two years": These flowers are
biennial; they bloom every two years.
bimonthly Bimonthly means "every two months": We order from
semimonthly the co-op bimonthly.
Semimonthly means "twice a month (biweekly)": We
have our house cleaned semimonthly.

blithe Blithe, an adjective, means "lighthearted and

lithe carefree": A blithe mood overcomes us in the spring.
Lithe is also an adjective but it means "flexible,
graceful, and supple": The lithe movements of the
yoga instructor impressed us all.

blonde Blonde describes women: Brunettes have just as

blond much fun as blondes (blonde women).
Blond describes men: Sean was not a natural blond.
This distinction is not necessary though: blond is now
generally accepted for both men and women.

board Board means a few things. One is "a long sheet of

bored wood": Hiram had to cut the board to make the
shelves. It also means "a committee": The board of
directors met to decide the fate of the school. Lastly, it
can mean "to get onto": She boarded the ship.
Bored means "not interested": She is bored by the dry
lecture.

bore A bore is a boring or tiresome person or thing: Jasper

boar is such a bore when he talks about his cats!
boor A boar is a male pig: Wild boars abound in this forest.
A boor is an unrefined, vulgar person: What a boor
Guy was to get drunk at the wedding and embarrass
everyone.

born Born is newly coming into life: A child was born at

borne 12:01 New Year's day.
Borne means "carried": All gossip is borne by an ill
wind.

borrow Borrow is to receive something from someone

lend temporarily: to borrow a book and then return it.
loan Lend is a verb that mean "to temporarily give
something to someone": Henry will lend (or loan)
Francine a book.
Loan is a noun: a bank loan. Loan is often used in
American English as a verb meaning "to lend": Loan
me a book, please.
braise Braise means "to cook (usually meat) slowly in liquid":
braze Braised meat is usually tender.
To braze is to solder or create with metals such as
bronze: Shirley brazed a statue of a famous Civil War
leader.

brake Brake means "to stop": You should brake slowly on

break ice.
Break means "to smash": To break a mirror brings
seven years of worse luck than you are having now.

breath Breath is a noun meaning "the air pulled into the

breathe lungs": Take a deep breath and relax.
Breathe, with an E on the end, is a verb: Just breathe
deeply and calm down.

bridal Bridal has to do a bride and her wedding: June May

bridle threw her bridal bouquet to the screaming crowd of
single women.
A bridle is a halter or restraint, such as a horse bridle:
Old Frosty didn't like the bridle over his head.

by By is a preposition meaning "next to": Park the car by

buy the house.
bye Buy means "purchase": Grandpa buys an ice cream
cone every Sunday afternoon.
Bye means "farewell or good-bye": Bye, now; I'll see
you later.
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WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
can't hardly This expression is a nonstandard double negative
(hardly is considered negative), so avoid it. It is better
to say can hardly: I can hardly hear you over the
noise of the party! Hardly.

canvas Canvas is cloth or fabric: a canvas bag to bring to the

canvass beach.
Canvass means "to conduct a survey or examine
thoroughly", or "to seek votes": She canvassed all the
stores before she found the right dress.
capital A capital is where the seat of government is: The
capitol capital of the United States is Washington DC. Capital
can also mean "wealth" or "a large letter".
The Capitol (usually capitalized) is the actual building
in which the government and legislature meets: We
will travel to the Capitol this weekend.

censor Censor is to prohibit free expression: The principal

sensor censored all references to smoking in school
censure publications.
A sensor is something that interprets stimulation: The
lights are turned on by a movement sensor.
Censure is rebuke, harsh criticism: Morty Skustin was
severely censured for putting the frog in the water
cooler.

cite Cite means "to quote or mention": He cited a famous

site theorist in his speech.
sight Site is a noun meaning "a place": At which site will we
stage the party?
Sight is a noun meaning "view": The sight of the New
York City skyline is spectacular.

climactic Climactic refers to the peak: Wendell sneezed right at

climatic the climactic moment of a movie.
Climatic refers to the climate and weather: New Monia
is known for its dramatic climatic changes.

coarse Coarse is an adjective meaning "rough, big-grained,

course not fine": We need to use coarse sandpaper to remove
the paint from this wood.
Course is a noun referring to a direction (the course of
a ship) or a series of lectures on one subject (a history
course in college): The poetry course Stu deBaker took
in colldge changed the course of his life.

collaborate Collaborate means "to work together": Collaborate

corroborate with the people on your team.
Corroborate means "to support with evidence" or
"prove true": The testimony was corroborated with
evidence of his innocence.

complement Complement means "to supplement" or "make

compliment complete": Their two personalities complement each
other.
Compliment means "to praise or congratulate": She
 received a compliment on her sense of fashion.

compose Compose means to "make up" and is often used in the

comprise passive voice: The class is composed of students of
several nationalities.
Comprise means "have, consist of, or include":
Students of several nationalities comprise the class. A
rule to remember would be that the whole comprises
its parts, and the parts compose the whole.

concurrent Concurrent simultaneous or happening at the same

consecutive time as something else: concurrent blizzards in three
different states.
Consecutive means "successive or one after
another": The state had three consecutive blizzards
that month.

conform Conform means "to be similar to": Some schools

confirm conform their students by using uniforms.
Confirm is to make sure or double check: to confirm a
flight reservation.

congenial Congenial describes something likeable, suitable to

congenital taste: They enjoy the congenial surroundings in their
home.
Congenital refers to a condition present at birth
because of heredity: Raymond has a congenital heart
defect.

connote Connote means to "imply or suggest": 'Home'

denote connotes warmth and safety.
Denote means to "indicate specifically, to mean":
'Home' denotes the place where you live.

conscience Conscience is the feeling or knowledge of right and

conscious wrong: My conscience wouldn't allow me to compete
with someone so much weaker than me.
Conscious refers to being awake and aware: Molly
Coddle was still conscious after banging her head on
the headboard.

continual Continual means "repeated with breaks in between":

continuous We need continual rain throughout the summer for
crops to grow.
Continuous means "without stopping": The
continuous drumming of the rain on the windows put
Herman to sleep.
convince Convince is to cause another to feel sure or believe
persuade something to be true: Well, Argyle Greenpasture has
convinced me that aliens do exist.
Persuade is to talk someone into doing something:
Percy persuaded me to help him wash his car.

co-operation Co-operation means "working together": I would like

corporation to thank you for your cooperation with us on the
project.
A corporation is a large company: Presidents of large
corporations receive tens of millions of dollars in
salary.

corps Corps (pronounced 'core') is an organization of people

core dedicated to a single goal: Lucinda joined the Peace
corpse Corps after college.
A core is the center of a fruit containing seeds:
Bartholomew eats apples, core and all.
A corpse is a dead body: The corpse of Danny's dog
was lovingly laid to rest in the back yard.

corresponden Correspondence is agreement or written

ce communication such as letters or news articles: Phil
corresponden and Rachel continued their correspondence for years.
ts Correspondents are those who write this
communication: Rhoda Lott has lived abroad as a news
correspondent for several years.

could not care This expression is often confusing for English language
less learners. It is always used with a negative and means
that you really don't care at all: Since she was sick,
Mona could not care less about doing her homework,
or Mona could not care less which color sweater she
wore.

council A council is a group of people called together to meet

counsel on an issue: The school board council meets every
consul Thursday evening.
Counsel is advice: I always go to Clyde for counsel on
the tough decision in my life.
A consul is a diplomat appointed to protect the
citizens and commercial interests of one country in
another: If you need help starting a business in France,
talk to the US consul in Paris.

creak Creak can be the noun or verb for a squeak or groan:

The creak of the floorboards alerted Nell that Bernard
creek was sneaking up on her.
A creek is a small stream: The kids loved to play in the
creek on a hot summer day.

credible Credible means "believable or reliable": There is no

creditable credible evidence that it was I who broke the lamp.
Creditable means "worthy of praise or respect": I
couldn't have broken the lamp because I have a
creditable alibi.

criteria Criterion is singular: There is only one criterion for

criterion this job.
Criteria is plural: Several criteria need to be met in
order for us to move forward.

custom A custom is a cultural tradition: It is a custom in Japan

costume to remove your shoes when entering a home.
A costume is the outfit worn to represent a particular
time, event, or culture: What is your costume for
Halloween going to be?
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•D•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
dairy A dairy is a farm where milk and milk products are
diary produced: Madeleine grew up on a dairy and knows
how to churn butter.
A diary is the daily journal kept: Rhoda Book writes in
her diary for two hours every night.

deduction Deduction is drawing a general principle from

induction particular facts or instances: I've seen hundreds of
robins and they all have red breasts. (General
principle-all robins have red breasts. )
Induction is the explanation of particular facts or
instances from a general principle: That bird must be a
robin because it has a red breast. (General principle-all
robins have red breasts. )

denote See connote, denote.

connote
describe See ascribe, describe.
ascribe
desert Desert means "to abandon" (and can also be a noun,
dessert meaning "a wasteland"): Cooley deserted his family
when they all got tattoos and lip piercings.
Dessert is the sweet course of a meal: The whole
family wanted to have cake for dessert.

device A device is an instrument used to perform a task: This

devise device will peel apples for you.
Devise is to create or invent: They will devise a
scheme to continue the business.

diary See dairy, diary.

dairy
divers Divers means "several": You can take that statement
diverse in divers ways.
Diverse means "different or varied": There are many
diverse cultures in the world.

different from Different from is the standard usage when comparing

different than two things: Suzie's sweater is different from Mary's.
Don't say, "Different than something else."

discreet Discreet means "modest and prudent": Please be

discrete discreet about the surprise party, we don't want her to
find out.
Discrete means "separate and distinct": Even though
they were married, they kept their money in two
discrete accounts.

disinterested Disinterested is an adjective that means "unbiased or

uninterested impartial": Since she had nothing at stake, she was a
disinterested party in the matter.
Uninterested means "not interested": Anita Job was
just uninterested in the offer.

dispersion See aspersion, dispersion.

aspersion
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•E•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
e. g. e. g. is a Latin abbreviation meaning "for example":
i. e. Lucille doesn't like fruit, e.g. pears, apples, grapes, and
bananas.
i. e. is a Latin abbreviation meaning "that is (to say)":
Myrtle had to leave the room, i.e. she had to go to the
bathroom.

each other Use each other when only two objects are involved:
one another The twins love each other.
Use one another in referring to more than two
objects: The triplets all love one another.

each These are singular distributive pronouns; use them

every with a singular verb. Each refers to a single individual
in a group: Each of us voted differently.
Every refers to all the members of a group inclusively:
Every one of us voted the same.

effect See affect, effect.

affect
elicit Elicit is a verb that means "to draw out": The teacher
illicit had trouble eliciting responses from the students.
Illicit is an adjective meaning "illegal or illegitimate":
Illicit drugs or illicit behavior may help you enter jail.

elude See allude, elude.

allude
emigrant An emigrant is a person who leaves his native country
immigrant to settle in another: The emigrants left everything
behind in search of something more.
An immigrant refers is person who moves to a new
country: Many immigrants settle in this country every
year.

emigrate Emigrate from means "to leave one's country":

immigrate Frances emigrated to the US.
Immigrate to means "to settle in another country":
Her family immigrated to the US four generations ago.

eminent Eminent means "of high rank, outstanding, or

emanant prestigious": An eminent author came to read at the
imminent university.
Emanant means "sending or issuing forth": Emanant
thoughts like those should be kept to yourself.
Imminent means "close to happening or near":
 Everyone waited anxiously for an imminent storm
predicted to arrive shortly.

enervate Innervate means "to supply with nerves or vitality":

innervate The therapist innervated the shoulders with massage.
Enervate is to weaken or destroy the vitality of: The
negative attitude enervated her enthusiasm.

entomology Entomology refers to the study of insects: Donald

etymology couldn't be afraid of bugs if he wanted to get a degree
in entomology.
Etymology is the study of the history of words and
where they come from: The etymology of mortify goes
back to Latin mortuus "dead". is nice.

etc. Etc. is Latin for et cetera and means "and so on": You
need to bring plates, knives, forks, spoons, etc. to the
table. It is a good idea, however, to just finish the list,
not letting it end with etc. But if you must, use a
phrase like "and so on", "and so forth".

ethereal Ethereal describes something that is light, airy, and

ephemeral intangible: Ethereal clouds hovered above; Everything
in the ballroom looked ethereal.
Ephemeral refers to anything lasting for a short
period: Truth can be an ephemeral thing; A creek can
be ephemeral if it disappears in the middle of summer.

everyone Everyone means "each person": Everyone in the room

every one must leave immediately.
Every one refers to each thing or person individually:
Felice put every one of the eggs in the basket.

exceed See accede, exceed.

accede
except See accept, except.
accept
explicit Explicit means "clear and direct": Please give me
implicit explicit directions.
Implicit means "indirectly, with some parts
understood": They implicitly agreed to never talk on
the subject again.
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•F•
 WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
fair A fair is an exhibition of farm produce usually with a
fare collection of rides and attractions: Every year our
family goes to the state fair.
A fare is the fee you pay to ride public transportation:
The fare to ride the bus is affordable in our town.

farther Farther has to do with distance: How much farther is

further it to Poughkeepsie?
Further means "additional" or "more": Please give me
further information about the best route to
Poughkeepsie.

faze Faze is to distress or disturb: The scrutiny of the

phase media didn't faze Sharon.
A phase is a period of development or a period of time
in a cycle of events: Stuart went through a phase when
all he did was eat hot dogs.

few Few is used when talking about things that can be

less counted: Lureen has a few ideas; also a few keys, few
clouds, few values, few diseases.
Less is used when talking about things that can't be
counted: Lureen shows less perseverance than we
expected; also less distance, less pollution, less rain.

figuratively Figuratively refers to metaphoric speech, not realistic

literally or exact: To say, "Horace died laughing," is to speak
figuratively.
Literally refers to realistic or exact speech: If Horace
literally died laughing, he must be buried (but it was
not such a bad way to go).

flammable These two words both mean "easily set on fire": a

inflammable highly flammable/inflammable substance. However,
flammable is now used as a warning to avoid
misinterpreting the prefix in- as negation.

flare Flare is to increase greatly, burn brightly, or

flair something that provides a bright flame: The fire in the
grill flared brightly when Eva tossed gasoline on it.
Flair refers to a sense of style or a talent: Dutch
Masters has a flair for entertaining a group of men.

flaunt To flaunt means "to show off": Maud Lynn Dresser

likes to flaunt her jewels at parties.
flout To flout means "to show scorn or contempt for": Larry
flouts the speed limit in every state when it suits his
schedule.

forbear Forbear means "to refrain from": The children simply

forebear could not forbear laughing in the library.
A forebear is an ancestor or forefather: Our forebears
who founded this country centuries ago.

foreword A foreword is a short introduction at the beginning of

forward a book usually written by someone other than the
author: The foreword of the book explains how its
thesis fits in with current thinking.
Forward is an adverb indicating movement ahead or
toward the front: Priscilla moves forward slowly in the
line at the grocery store.

forth Forth means "forward, from this point": Barry moved

fourth forth without looking back.
Fourth indicates an object that comes between No. 3
and No. 5: Dustin Moppet just finished cleaning the
fourth floor.

foul Foul can means "offensive, rotten, or unfavorable":

fowl Foul language, foul meat, and foul weather are
unacceptable at a picnic.
Fowl refers to birds, especially domestic ones:
Chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys are considered
fowl.

found Found is the past tense of find: I found my glasses

founded only after I had stepped on them!
Founded is past tense of the verb found, meaning "to
set up or establish": My ancestors were the ones who
founded this country.

founder Founder means "to run aground": The boat foundered

flounder on a shoal in the storm.
Flounder means "to move clumsily, with difficulty" or
"to blunder": Gladys Friday is floundering in college.
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•G•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
gibe Gibe means "to taunt, jeer, make fun of": His
gybe classmates gibed Billy Earl for wearing his underwear
jibe over his clothes.
Gybe means "to swing a fore-and-aft sail from one
side of a sailboat to the other to change course": When
the wind shifted, Felix gybed when he should have
tacked.
Jibe refers to being in agreement: Our views on
everything from baseball to Socrates seem to jibe.

gorilla A gorilla is a large ape: Gorillas live in the African

guerrilla tropical forest.
A guerrilla is a member of irregular military that uses
surprise attacks on its enemy: Guerrilla warfare uses
tactics such as espionage, sabotage, and ambush.
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•H•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
hail Hail means "to greet or to come from": She hails from
hale California. Hail also means "balls of ice": Hail damaged
the crops.
Hale means "sound or healthy": Minnie Miles is hale
and hearty enough to run five miles daily.

hanged Hanged is past tense of hang in the sense of

hung executing someone by using a rope around the neck:
Outlaws in the Old West were hanged when they could
be caught.
Hung is the past tense of hang, but is used for things:
Lyda Cain's son never hung up his clothes. Just
remember hanged is used for people (Yuck!), and hung
is used for other things.

hardly This is a word used in a negative sense meaning

"barely": Lyle could hardly keep his eyes open at the
lecture by Rhoda Book.

herd A herd is a group of animals: Nonnie saw a herd of

heard cows in the pasture.
Heard is the past tense of hear: Zelda heard the bells
ringing for the glorious leader who had recently died.
here Here refers to the place where you are: You should
hear come here more often.
Hear is to listen with the ears: Am I speaking loud
enough for you to hear me?

heroin Heroin is an illicit drug: Heroin is a very addicting

heroine substance.
A heroine is a female hero in real life or in a story:
Marge was treated like a heroine when she delivered
the baby in a cab.

historic Historic refers to something in history that was

historical important: The summit was a historic meeting between
the countries.
Historical refers to anything in general history: The
whole class had to dress in historical costumes for the
play.

hoard Hoard means "to collect and keep for oneself":

horde Squirrels hoard acorns during the winter.
A horde is a large group: Hordes of people go
Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving.

hole A hole is a gap or space: A moth made a hole in my

whole sweater.
Whole means "complete": Stu Beef ate the whole
pizza himself!

home Home in is the correct phrase here is when referring to

hone getting closer to a goal or target: The missile homed in
electronically on the target.
Hone means "to sharpen": Denise made a resolution
to hone her piano playing skills.
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•I•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
i. e. See e. g., i. e.
e. g.
illicit See elicit, illicit.
elicit
illusion See allusion, illusion.
allusion
immemorial Immemorial refers to that which is beyond time,
immortal ancient: These artifacts have been here since time
immoral immemorial.
Immortal describes things that live forever: The way
Randolph drives, he must think that he is immortal.
Immoral means "not nice, unethical, bad": Stealing is
immoral.

immoral See amoral, immoral.

amoral
immigrant See emigrant, immigrant.
emigrant
immigrate See emigrate, immigrate.
emigrate
imminent See eminent.
eminent,
emanant
implicate, Implicate means "to closely link or connect": The
imply blood on his hands implicated him in the murder.
Imply means "to point to, or suggest indirectly": The
victim's friend implied he thought he knew who the
murderer was.

implicit See explicit, implicit.

explicit
imply Imply means "to suggest indirectly": Her hesitation
infer implied that her answer was no.
Infer means "to draw a conclusion from known facts":
He inferred that the answer was no from her
hesitation.

in regard to Both of these mean "referring to", but use one or the
as regards other: In regard to your proposal I have an idea, or: As
regards your proposal, I have an idea. NOT in regards
to!

inchoate Inchoate describes something in an early stage of

incoherent development, and that is incomplete: Lucy's plan
remained inchoate and was developed no further.
Incoherent describes something that is lacking
connection or order: Some even thought that Lucy's
 plan was just a few incoherent thoughts that didn't
hang together.

incredible Incredible means "astonishing or difficult to grasp":

incredulous The incredible power of a tornado attracts storm
chasers.
Incredulous means "skeptical and disbelieving": She
was incredulous about Fred's interpretation of the
event.

induction See deduction, induction.

deduction
innervate See enervate, innervate.
enervate
insure See assure, ensure, insure.
ensure
assure
intolerable Intolerable refers to something unbearable: The heat
intolerant during the summer of 2005 was intolerable.
Intolerant refers to a person who is unable to accept
differences in opinion, habit, or belief: Maybelle is
intolerant of anyone who chews with their mouth open.

irregardless Regardless is the correct word to use, meaning

regardless "without regard": The young man left regardless of the
warnings.
Irregardless is a double negative that should be
avoided.

its Its is the possessive form of it, like hers, his, and
it's theirs: The dog licked its foot after stepping in maple
syrup.
It's is short for 'it is', a contraction of those two words:
"Well, I guess it's [it is] time to wash the dog again."
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•J•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
jibe See gibe, gybe, jibe.
gibe
gybe
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•K•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
kind of Avoid these expressions in the sense of "somewhat",
sort of "rather" or "a little" (especially avoid reducing them to
kinda and sorta). The pace of the baseball game was
rather [not kind of] slow.

knew Knew is the past tense of know: She knew what she
new wanted to say but couldn't say it.
New means "never used": I ordered a new custom car
from the factory today.
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•L•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
latent Latent means "present but not visible or active": Just
patent because I'm not in bed doesn't mean that I don't have
a latent virus.
Patent means "visible, active, or obvious": The claim
that I pinched Marilyn's tush is a patent lie!

later Later means "afterward": Come later than seven

latter o'clock.
Latter means "the last of two things mentioned": If I
have to choose between brains or beauty, I'll take the
latter.

lay Lay is a transitive verb, which means it takes an

lie object. It means "to set or put down flat": Gwendolyn
laid child in the crib, or Lay a book on the table, please.
Its forms are lay, lays, laid, has laid, and is laying.
Lie is an intransitive verb, so it does not take an
object. It means "to rest supine or remain in a certain
place": I have to lie down because I'm not feeling well,
or I like to lie in the grass for hours. Its forms are lie,
lies, lay, has lain, and is lying.

lead Lead can be a verb meaning "to guide, be in charge

of": Greg will lead a group this afternoon. It can also be
led a noun meaning "a type of metallic element": Use a
lead pencil to fill in your answer sheet.
Led is the past tense of lead: Greg led the group this
afternoon.

lend Lend is a verb that mean "to temporarily give

loan something to someone": Lucy will lend or loan Chuck
borrow her books any day.
A loan is a noun meaning something borrowed: Most
people get a bank loan to buy a house. Loan is also
used in American English as a verb meaning "to lend".
Borrow is to receive something from someone
temporarily: Can I borrow the book if I promise to
return it tomorrow?

less See few, less.

few
lessen Lessen means "to decrease or make less": She
lesson lessened the headache pain with aspirin.
A lesson is something you learn: A teacher might say,
"Today's lesson is about ancient Egypt."

liable Liable means "legally responsible for or subject to":

libel Tom is liable to pay for the damage if he doesn't prove
his innocence.
Libel is a noun that means "a slanderous statement
that damages another person's reputation": Bertrand
was sued for libel for what he printed about Phil
Anders.

lightening Lightening is a verb that means "to reduce the weight

lightning of": My course load needs lightening if I am to
complete this course successfully.
Lightning refers to the electrical discharge in the sky:
Fred captured the image of a bolt of lightning on film.

like See as, like.

as
literally See figuratively, literally.
figuratively
lithe See blithe, lithe.
blithe
loathe Loathe is a verb meaning "to detest or dislike
greatly": Janice loathes animal cruelty.
loath Loath is an adjective meaning "reluctant, unwilling":
Lance was loath to ask for an extension on his term
paper that semester.

loose Loose is not tight: A loose-fitting jacket was more

lose suitable than a shawl.
Lose is to misplace and not be able to find: I often lose
my bearings when entering a new city. Thank
goodness I don't lose my keys though!
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•M•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
manner Manner is a way of doing or behaving: Duane Pipes
manor installed the plumbing in a workman-like manner.
A manor is a house on an estate: The chauffeur drove
slowly up to the manor.

mantel A mantel is the shelf above a fireplace, or face of one:

mantle Matilda set several candles on the mantel.
A mantle is a cloak or blanket: Velma grabbed her
mantle before heading out the door.

marital Marital refers to marriage: Bunny and Lance are

martial having marital problems.
Martial refers to war or warriors: Bunny has a black
belt in martial arts.

marshal A marshal is an officer of highest ranking; it can mean

marshall "to arrange": The marshal gave orders to the troops.
Marshall is a verb meaning "to together": Marshall
marshaled enough strength to walk past the bar on his
way home.

may be May be as two words means "might be": Your reading

maybe glasses may be on the night stand.
Maybe is one word that means "perhaps": Maybe your
reading glasses are on the night stand.

me Me is used as a simple object: Susan told my brother

myself and me about her trip to Africa.
Myself is a reflexive and an emphatic pronoun: I talk
to myself [reflexive] or you can do that yourself
 [emphatic].

meet Meet means "to get together or connect with

mete someone, to encounter": Elroy plans to meet a
meat colleague for lunch.
Mete means "to distribute": We had to mete out the
last of the water when we were still 20 miles from
civilization on our hiking trip.
Meat is flesh that may be eaten: Nathan is a
vegetarian who doesn't eat meat at all.

militate Militate means "to influence toward or against a

mitigate change": The banality of Rhoda Book's stories militated
against their becoming popular.
Mitigate means "to lessen, make easier, or bearable":
A cold compress on your leg will mitigate the swelling.

mordant Mordant is bitingly sarcastic: Everyone hated

trenchant Raymond's mordant comments.
Trenchant means "forceful and keen": Raymond
received trenchant criticism from everyone for his
comments.

most See almost, most.

almost
mute Mute means "having no sound or without speech": He
moot was struck mute by the horror of the events.
Moot as a noun is a public meeting; as an adjective,
the more common usage, means "open to debate" in
the UK and "not open to debate" in the US. It is most
often used in the phrase moot point: When Walter
walked in, the question of who was going to pick him
up became moot.
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•N•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
no No means "the opposite of yes": They all said no in
know response to the latest referendum.
To know is to understand are realize: I don't want to
know how you got up the tree.
noisome Noisome means "disgusting, offensive, and potentially
noisy harmful": A noisome smell arose from the garbage can.
Noisy means "making a lot of sound or racket": With
so many children, it became a noisy day care center.

nonplussed Nonplussed is often misused in the sense of "calm

and unbothered". The actual meaning is "confused or
bewildered": She was nonplussed by her husband's
unusual behavior.

nowhere See anyway, anywhere, nowhere; anyways,

nowheres anywheres, nowheres.

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•O•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
obeisance Obeisance is respect and homage paid someone:
obsequious Farina greeted the queen with sincere obeisance.
Obsequiousness is submissiveness and an eagerness
to obey: The obsequiousness of the waiter made them
roll their eyes.

obtuse Obtuse means "lacking quickness of wit or sensitivity,

abstruse dull, dense": Brandon is so obtuse he doesn't even
know when he is being insulted.
Abstruse means "too difficult to understand for the
average mind": The professor presented an abstruse
metaphysical concept that went over our heads.

one another See each other, one another.

each other
overdo Overdo is to exaggerate something: Marcy overdoes
overdue her makeup every morning and she ends up looking
like a clown.
Overdue indicates something that has missed its
deadline: You must return these overdue books to the
library immediately, or A visit to our grandparents is
long overdue.
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•P•
 WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
pamper To pamper is to coddle, or treat with indulgence: The
pander only time my mom pampers me is when I'm sick.
To pander is to cater to the base needs of others, to
sell out: Senator Throckmorton got elected by
pandering to special interest groups.

passed Passed is the past tense of pass, to go by or move

past ahead of: The boys passed through town quickly.
Past is a place in time that was before now: You would
be wise to reflect on the past and learn from it.

pasture A pasture is a place where farm animals graze: Al

pastor Falfa puts his cows out into the pasture every morning.
A pastor is a member of the clergy, a minister of a
church: Noah Sarque is the pastor of the local Baptist
Church.

patent See latent, patent.

latent
patience Patience is the ability to remain calm even when
patients dealing with someone or something difficult: The
teacher showed infinite patience for the students
struggling with the reading material. (See also
assistance and assistants.)
Patients are people who are sick in a hospital: The
nurse had several new patients to get to know that
week.

peace Peace is a sense of calm and absence of war or

piece hostility: We all hope for peace throughout the world.
A piece is a part or segment of something: Helen
Highwater lost a piece of her jewelry in church last
Sunday.

peek To peek is to look quickly without someone knowing:

pique The child peeked inside the gift.
peak To pique is to arouse or provoke: Muriel's comment
piqued Abner's curiosity. Pique can also be used as a
noun meaning "resentment": Sedgewick felt a bit of
pique at the association of his name with their real
estate scheme.
A peak is the highest point of something: Chastity
decided not to drive to the top of Pike's Peak during
 the peak summer vacation season.

peer To peer is to squint and gaze strongly at: Melvin had

pier to peer through fog to keep the car on the highway.
a peer is an equal: Farnsworth didn't consider anyone
his peer when it came to the game of tiddledy winks.
A pier is a walkway that juts into a body of water for
docking: to he docked his boat at the end of the pier.

penultimate Penultimate means "the next to the last (the

ultimate ultimate)": Little did Al Pacca know that the
penultimate shrimp he ate was the one that gave him
food poisoning.
Ultimate is the last or best: I found the ultimate gift
for Gary this year.

perspective A perspective is a view from a certain place or

prospective position or a mental outlook: The perspective from this
building is spectacular, or Lydia Potts has a wonderful
perspective on life considering the fact that she has 12
kids.
Prospective is an adjective that means "possible,
likely to happen": We have several prospective
opportunities before us.

persuade See convince, persuade.

convince
phase See faze, phase.
faze
piquant Piquant means "pleasantly tart or spicy": This
pique restaurant serves a piquant salsa that is absolutely
delicious.
To pique is to arouse or provoke: Grunella piqued
Vern's curiosity with her question. (See also peek.)

plain Plain means "simple not showy" or "a large level

plane region": It was plain to see that Vanessa loved
Conway, or Bowser's farm was on a great plain where
wheat grew well.
A plane is a flat and level surface, a new level, or an
airplane: To understand the equation of a plane
surface in mathematics you have to reach a new plane
of consciousness. Franklin landed the plane
successfully.
portent A portent is a noun meaning "an omen or prophetic
potent sign of the future": Ivan Oder took falling out of bed
that morning as a portent of a greater disaster in the
future.
Potent is an adjective meaning "strong and powerful":
Arnold was a potent man, even at seventy, but could
not handle the potent martinis Bella Donna made.

pour To pour is to dispense liquid from one container into

pore another: She poured some milk into the glass.
pore A pore is to study or read intensely: Hilda pored over
the materials nightly.
Pore also means "a small opening in skin through
which moisture or air moves": Pores are all over our
bodies.

practical Practical refers to being easily used and put into

practicable practice: A Swiss Army knife has many practical uses.
Practicable means "feasible or possible": It is not
always practicable for a busy person to use this tool.

precede The verb precede means "to come or go before, in

proceed front of": The flower girl preceded the bride in the
procession down the aisle.
Proceed means "to move forward": Both the flower
girl and the bride proceeded down the aisle at the
same time.

premise A premise usually means "assumption": Since the

premises basic premise was wrong, all the conclusions based on
it were wrong, too.
Premises are a house or building and the grounds
around it: Smoking is not allowed on the premises.

presence Presence means "the state of being near": April's

presents presence was comforting in Rod's time of sorrow.
Presents are gifts: The greatest gift is to let someone
give you a present.

principal A principal is the head of a professional business or

principle school: The principal of the middle school is a woman
of principles.
A principle is a belief: I avoid school principals as a
matter of principle.

profit Profit is the money earned above the expense it took

to complete the project: Ghislaine and Pierre made a
prophet $100,000 profit when they remodeled and sold their
house.
A prophet is a person who can foretell the future and
through which a divine presence speaks: Atheism is a
non-prophet religion.

profligate Profligate is to be wasteful and extravagant:

prolific Esmeralda is so profligate that she spent the entire
million dollars she won in the lottery in one year.
Prolific means "abundant, fruitful, producing much":
John Grisham is a prolific writer.
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•Q•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
quiet Quiet means "without sound or mention of": You are
quite supposed to be quiet in hospitals and libraries.
Quite can mean either "completely or somewhat,
rather", depending on what you mean: I was quite
alone that Saturday afternoon (completely) but the
hours passed quite quickly (rather).

quote Quote is a verb meaning "to state the exact words

quotation someone else said": The pastor quoted scripture from
the Bible or Carmen quoted a famous psychologist in
complaining to the boss.
A quotation is the actual statement being quoted:
Gretchen read a quotation every day.
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•R•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
rain Rain is the water that falls from the sky: Dingwell
reign didn't have sense enough to come in out of the rain.
rein Reign is the rule of a king of queen: King Wilhelm
reigned with an iron fist to keep peace in the land.
A rein (usually plural, reins) are the straps of leather
used to control and guide a horse: No matter how hard
 Reginald pulled on the reins, the horse would not slow
down.

raise Raise means "to build or grow": The farmer raises

raze corn. The Amish will raise the walls of a building by
noon.
Raze is to destroy: The school was razed and a new
one built in its place.

real Real is a variant of really used in dialectal areas (like

really the Southern US) where adverbs are not distinguished
from adjectives: She sings real good, in standard
English is: She sings really well.
Really is an intensifying adverb: Gwendolyn was really
tired after playing outside all day.

reality Reality means "the perceived world as it is, the true

realty situation": She could not tell the difference between
reality and fantasy.
Realty is land or real estate: Realty in large cities is
markedly expensive.

rebate A rebate is a discount from the manufacturer to the

refund customer after a purchase has been made: The $600
computer cost only $69.43 after all the rebates.
A refund is a full repayment to a dissatisfied
customer: Mildred returned her girdle and demanded a
full refund.

regimen Regimen is a systematic plan: Sylvia is undergoing a

regiment regimen for a healthier lifestyle.
Regiment is a troop of soldiers: The army is made up
of several regiments.

residence A residence is where people live, the house or

residents building: The mayor's residence is located in the center
of the city.
The residents are the people who live there: The
residents of the community thinks the mayor's
residence is to luxurious.

respectable Respectable means "deserving respect or on good

respectful behavior": Mother always told us to be respectable in
respective public.
Respectful refers to showing respect: Be respectful of
the people around you, especially if they have sticks.
Respective means "individual and appropriate": The
 summer camp kids were shown to their respective
cabins.

respectfully Respectfully means "politely and with respect": Mel

respectively Pew always dealt respectfully with each and every
customer.
Respectively refers to the order in which things are
given: I gave Wallace and Linda blue and green socks,
respectively, means that I gave Wallace blue socks and
Linda green ones.

restive Restive means "impatient and nervous, restless":

restful Cory became restive once he knew the boss was going
to call him into his office.
Restful means "full of rest, calm, quiet, and
restorative": A restful vacation in Indonesia was just
what the doctored ordered.

retch To retch is to try and vomit: Furman retched several

wretch times after swallowing a bite of Lurleen's liver pudding.
A wretch is a miserable or wicked person: I didn't
believe she could be such a wretch.

rifle Rifle means to search with the intention of stealing or

riffle taking: The mugger rifled Clarissa's purse looking for
cash.
To riffle means "to shuffle or flip quickly through
papers": Bill riffled the card deck before dealing.

right Right means "correct": She always knew the right

rite thing to say.
write A rite is a ceremony: Final rites for the deceased were
held in the church.
To write is to express oneself in writing: Rhoda Book
writes everyone about her publishing career.

rise Rise is intransitive and does not have an object: The

raise sun rises in the east.
Raise always has an object: You can raise a crop on a
farm or raise your hand in class.

road Road is a long path or street to travel on: Lucille tries

rode to stay on a main road wherever she travels.
Rode is past tense of ride: Matilda rode her bicycle
over a cliff by accident.
role A role is a part in a play or movie: Marjorie's favorite
roll role of her entire movie career was that of the quirky
neighbor in Keep your Doors Locked. It can also mean
"a function of": Marjorie's role in removing the insignia
from the police car door was minor.
Roll is a verb meaning "to turn over and over": Diane
rolled the flat tire into the garage.
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•S•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
sale A sale is a noun meaning "the selling of something":
sail Every car sale means a commission for the salesman.
A sail is the material used to catch wind on a boat: The
sail billowed in the wind as Jacob's boat slid across the
water.

sale A sale is a noun meaning "the selling of something":

sell Every car sale means a commission for the salesman.
To sell, the verb, is to offer goods for consumption at a
cost: Seth sells his pottery at art fairs.

sanguine Sanguine means "red, ruddy or optimistic": I am not

saturnine sanguine about your getting this job.
Saturnine means "being moody, sullen, or
melancholy": Ima Aiken falls into a saturnine mood
every time her husband Hadley goes away on
business.

scene Scene is a place or view: The scene of the crime was

seen just outside his window.
Seen is past tense of see: I have seen that movie
three times already.

seam A seam is where two pieces are joined: The seam of

seem Leticia's dress ripped when she bent over.
To seem is to appear or look as if: Leticia seemed
unhappy when that happened.

semimonthly See bimonthly, semimonthly.

bimonthly
sensor See censor, sensor, censure.
censor
censure
sensual Sensual refers to physical, especially sexual, pleasure:
sensuous Derry Yare wears sensual dresses to attract men.
Sensuous refers to anything artistic that appeals to
the senses or appetites: Marguerita had prepared a
sensual feast for her guests.

serf A serf is a slave or servant: Neil Downe came from a

surf family of serfs but rose to become a landlord.
To surf is to ride the waves of water, or to search on
the Internet: The surf is up down at the beach; ou can
surf the Internet some other time.

set Set is a transitive verb meaning "to put or place

sit something solid somewhere": Marvin set his new lamp
seat on the table.
Sit means "to rest upright with the weight on the
buttocks or to move into such a position"; the past
tense is sat: Percy sat down beside Geneva on the park
bench.
Seat can be a verb meaning "to show someone their
seat or where to sit": The waiter seated Murgatroyd at
his usual table by the door.

sever Sever means "to cut through completely": One blow

severe from Jessie's hatchet severed the rope.
Severe means "strict, hard, extreme": Severe winter
weather came early this year. There was a severe tone
in Marilyn's voice when she berated Todd for putting
the tack in her chair.

shear Shear means "to cut off": We shear sheep's wool in

sheer the spring and we shear the hedges in the summer.
Sheer means "pure, unadulterated": Felicity found the
amusement park a sheer pleasure. Sheer also means
"transparent": Perry Winkle hung sheer curtains in the
living room.

shore A shore is a beach: to spend a vacation on the shore.

sure It also means "to brace or support": They shored up
the leaning wall with steel beams.
Sure means "without doubt": Maria was sure about the
decision to move to another country.
singly Singly means "one by one": The fire drill required
singularly everyone to leave the building quietly and singly.
Singularly means "extraordinarily, in an outstanding
manner": He singularly fought the rebels off one by
one.

site See cite, site, sight.

sight
cite
sleight-of- Sleight of hand refers to dexterity and trickery with
hand the hands: The magician's sleight of hand fooled the
slight-of-hand audience.
This phrase is often confused with slight of hand, an
adjective phrase meaning "having small slender
hands".

sole Sole means "single": The sole remaining person in the

soul room left, leaving it empty. It also means the bottom of
a foot or shoe: Gigi needed new soles on her shoes.
A soul refers to the spirit of a living creature: Do you
believe animals have souls?

some time Some time refers to a considerable period of time: I

sometime need some time to think about it.
sometimes Sometime refers to an indistinct or unstated time in
the future: I'll see you around sometime.
Sometimes is an adverb meaning continually, off and
on, occasionally: Karen sometimes drinks coffee
instead of tea.

stationary Stationary means "still and unmoving": The cat was

stationery stationary until it was time to pounce on its prey.
Stationery refers to writing materials such as paper:
Craig took out his best stationery to write to his
beloved Charlotte Russe.

statue A statue is a carved or shaped imitation of an object:

statute There is a statue of a large bird is in her garden.
stature A statute is law: The government publishes new
statutes each year.
Stature means "status, standing": Chester Drors is a
man of substantial stature in state politics.

storey Storey is the British spelling of story when this word

story refers to a floor of a building: The upper storeys of the
building comprised apartments. The US spelling of this
 sense of the word is also story.
A story is a tale related in speech or writing by
someone. In the US, it is also the spelling used to refer
to the floor of a building: My home is three stories
high.

straight Straight is an adjective that means having "no bends

strait or curve"s: Pimsley's walking cane is as straight as an
arrow.
A strait is a narrow channel connecting two bodies of
water: The Bering Strait lies between Alaska and
Siberia.

supposedly Supposedly means "reputedly" or "likely to be true":

supposably Sam is supposedly the greatest waterboy in the
football team's history.
Supposably means "can be supposed": The best
solution to the problem is supposably to ignore it.
(However, this word is seldom used.)
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•T•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
taut Taut is a literary word that means "tight": Hold the
taught string taut while I mark the line.
Taught is the past tense of teach: Kenneth taught
etiquette and good manners for several years.

tenant A tenant is someone who rents property: A new

tenet tenant moved into the vacant apartment last week.
A tenet is a principle: The major tenets of all religions
are similar.

than Than is used to compare: Philippa Byrd thinks she is

then smarter than any of us.
Then is a word to describe a time that is not now: I
prefer Friday; it would be better to meet then because
then I will be ready.

their Their is possessive of they: The twins left their books

there at home.
they're There refers to a place that is not here: We will be
there in two hours.
 They're is a contraction for they are: They're going to
a concert tonight.

theirself Only themselves is correct as a reflexive or emphatic

theirselves pronoun: They gave themselves all the credit for the
themself rescue.
themselves
threw Although these two words are pronounced the same,
through threw is the past tense of the verb throw, meaning
"tossed, hurled in the air": Morty threw the keys to the
car to McKinley.
Through is a preposition meaning "entering the inside
of something and coming out the other side": Chuck
accidentaly threw a rock through Miss Conception's
living room window.

throes Throes are severe pains or difficult times: Wade Rivers

throws found it difficult to listen to his iPod in the throes of
battle.
Throws is the plural or present tense of throw: Several
throws later, Bud Light managed to put a wad of paper
in the trash can from his desk.

til Til is a contraction of the preposition until: I won't see

till you til tomorrow. Only one L.
Till is a verb meaning "to cultivate": My Uncle Emmet
tills about half the land on his farm and herds cattle on
the rest.

to To is a preposition meaning "toward": We go to the

too lake every summer. It also serves as the infinitive
two particle for verbs: I want to stop confusing words.
Too means "also": I'd love to go with you, too.
Two is the number between one and three: We have
two options: hire a divorce lawyer or a mortician.

torpid Torpid means "unresponsive, lacking alertness":

turgid Prunella tried to elicit answers from the torpid students
in front of her.
Turgid means "very ornate and decorative": The
author's turgid writing style lost my interest quickly. It
can also mean "swollen and bulging": Turgid veins
covered her legs.

tortuous Tortuous means "winding, crooked, with many twists

torturous and turns": Wiley Driver was very adept at driving the
tortuous mountain roads of western North Carolina.
 Torturous means "very painful, like torture": Mick
Stupp found doing math homework torturous.
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•U•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
undoubtedly These three words may be used interchangeably,
undoubtably meaning "sure, without a doubt": Mildred was
indubitably undoubtedly| undoubtably|indubitably the best ballet
dancer of all time.

uninterested See disinterested, uninterested.

disinterested
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•V•
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
vane A vane is blade that rotates: I don't know how hard the
vain wind blew; it blew the weather vane off the roof.
vein Vain means "fruitless, hopeless, or without result":
Bertie harbors a vain hope of becoming a world-class
ice skater.
Vein refers to the tubes that carry blood back to the
heart: The veins are usually smaller than the arteries.

venal Venal means "corruptible, money-grubbing, likely to

venial accept bribes": Chris Cross is a man so venal he
charged his mother for taking her to the hospital.
Venial means "easily forgiven": The judge dismissed
the venial crimes and focused on the theft of the
chocolates.

verses Verses is plural of verse, a line of poetry: several

versus Emerson's verses were recited that evening.
Versus means "in comparison or opposition to": The
benefits of having a cell phone versus not having one
depend on the individual.

vicious Vicious means "cruel and mean": A vicious dog

attacked the young boy.
viscous Viscous means "thick and sticky": Honey and tar are
viscous substances.
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• WXYZ •
WORDS DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
waist Waist refers the (often) narrow area of a human body
waste between the hips and ribs: We often wear a belt
around our waist.
Waste is garbage, or waste can be a verb meaning "to
use carelessly": You shouldn't waste food and you
should recycle waste paper.

wary Wary means "leery and cautious": The customer

weary became wary when the salesperson said he would
personally guarantee the TV set for 100 years.
Weary means "tired and worn": After a day of
harvesting corn, the farmer was very weary.

wave To wave is to move back and forth; a wave is a

waive swelling in a body of water due to movement: Helen
Highwater waved her hand to the boat rocking in the
waves.
Waive means "to give up, not require or ask for":
Never waive your right to a lawyer.

weak Weak is not strong: Finley gave a weak performance;

week maybe because he has a weak mind.
Week refers to the names of the seven days, from
Sunday to Saturday: I go to the ice skating rink once a
week.

wear Wear is a verb (wear, wore, worn) meaning to have

ware clothing on: Maud Lynn Dresser always wears gaudy
were evening gowns on formal occasions.
we're Ware is an article of merchandise, a product (usually
used in the plural): The potter displayed her wares on
a beautiful stand made by her husband.
Were is past tense of are: Maud and her fiance were
at the ball last weekend.
We're is a contraction for we are: We're going to the
ball this weekend so maybe we'll see them.
weather Weather has to do with climate: I hope we have
whether beautiful weather for my daughter's wedding.
Whether means "if" and is used only inside sentences:
I don't know whether to bring an umbrella or not.

wet Wet is full of moisture: We had to dry out the wet

whet sleeping bag on our camping trip after a sudden storm.
Whet is to stimulate or arouse: Smelling the stew
whetted her appetite.

which Which means "what particular choice": Which witch

witch put the spell on you?
A witch is a person who believes in or practices magic:
Not all witches have warts on their noses (some have
them on their chins).

who's Who's is a contraction for who is: Who's going to vote

whose today?
Whose is the possessive of who meaning "of whom":
Whose tickets are these?

wont Wont means "used to": Maggie was wont to getting

won't everything her way and cried when she didn't.
Won't is a contraction for will not: Maggie won't be
getting every toy she wants this Christmas.

your Your is possessive for you: Your idea is fantastic!

you're You're is a contraction for you are: You're the most
treasured person in my life.
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Now test your knowledge of these words

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