Easily confused words

Many words in English sound and look alike but can have radically different meanings. It is important to be aware of the more common of these false pairs – the consequences of confusing them could be disastrous. If in doubt, consult a good dictionary. The following is a non-exhaustive list of the most common examples.

Advice is a noun that means guidance or recommendation about future action (e.g. ‘friends always ask his advice’).

Advise is a verb that chiefly means to recommend a course of action (e.g. ‘we advised him to go home’).

Affect is a verb that means to make a difference to (e.g. ‘the pay cuts will affect everyone’).

Effect is used both as a noun meaning a result (e.g. ‘the substance has a painreducing effect’) and as a verb meaning to bring about (a result), (e.g. ‘he effected a cost-cutting exercise’).

Anonymous is an adjective which refers to a name that is not known or not made known (e.g. ‘he wrote anonymously in the newspaper’) or which means having no outstanding or individual features (e.g. ‘the building looked rather anonymous’).

Unanimous is an adjective meaning to be fully in agreement (e.g. ‘the decision was made unanimously’).

Ante means ‘before’ (e.g. ‘ante-meridiem’).

Anti means ‘against’ (e.g. ‘anti-nuclear’).

Appraise means to assess something (e.g. ‘we appraised the services offered by the company’).

Apprise is to inform somebody about something (e.g. ‘he apprised me of the news’).

Assent means approval or agreement (e.g. ‘her proposal met/received the assent of all present’).

Ascent means an instance of going up something (e.g. ‘the first ascent of the Matterhorn’).

Aural refers to something which relates to the ear or sense of hearing.

Oral means spoken rather than written.

Biannual refers to something that occurs twice a year.

Biennial refers to something that occurs every two years.

Canvas is a type of material.

Canvass means to seek political support before an election or to seek people’s opinions on something (e.g. ‘I canvassed her opinion on the matter’).

Chance means: (1) the possibility of something happening (e.g. ‘there is a chance that it might rain today’); (2) an opportunity (e.g. ‘your chances are excellent’); and (3) the way in which things happen without any obvious plan or cause (e.g. ‘we met entirely by chance’).

Change means: (1) to make or become different (e.g. ‘we’ll change this provision of the contract’); (2) to exchange a sum of money for the same sum in a different currency (e.g. ‘she changed her dollars into euros’); (3) to move from one thing to another (e.g. ‘he changed jobs often’).

Complacent means uncritically satisfied with oneself; smug.

Complaisant indicates a willingness to please others or to accept their behaviour

without protest.

Compliment means politely congratulate or praise (e.g. ‘he complimented her on her appearance’).

Complement means to add in a way that improves (e.g. ‘she selected a green sweater to complement her blonde hair’).

Council means an assembly of people meeting regularly to advise on, discuss, or organise something.

Counsel means (1) advice or (2) a barrister conducting a case.

Credible means convincing or believable.

Creditable means deserving recognition and praise.

Curb means a check or restraint (e.g. ‘curbs on public spending’).

Kerb means the edge of a pavement (sidewalk) (e.g. ‘the car’s tyres scraped along the side of the kerb’).

Defuse means to remove the fuse from an explosive device (e.g. ‘the bomb squad defused the device’).

Diffuse means spread over a wide area (e.g. ‘the crowd gradually diffused’).

Dependant is a noun that refers to a person who relies on another for financial support (e.g. ‘she has three dependants’).

Dependent is an adjective meaning: (1) relying on someone or something for support (e.g. ‘we are dependent on the services offered by that firm’); (2) determined or influenced by (e.g. ‘our decision is dependent on the outcome of the arbitration’); or (3) unable to do without (e.g. ‘my colleague is dependent on strong coffee’).

Discreet means careful and judicious (e.g. ‘she gave discreet advice’).

Discrete means separate, distinct (e.g. ‘that is a discrete issue’).

Disinterested means impartial (e.g. ‘a lawyer is under an obligation to give disinterested advice’).

Uninterested means not interested (e.g. ‘a person uninterested in fame’).

Draft means: (1) to prepare a preliminary version of a text; (2) a preliminary version of a text; (3) a written order requesting a bank to pay a specified sum; (3) US compulsory recruitment for military service.

Draught means: (1) a current of cool air indoors; (2) an act of drinking or breathing in; (3) (of beer) served from a cask.

Elicit is a verb meaning to draw out a response or reaction (e.g. ‘my questioning

elicited no response from him’).

Illicit is an adjective meaning forbidden or unlawful (e.g. ‘he was caught trying to

smuggle illicit substances into the country’).

Eligible means satisfying the conditions to do or receive something (e.g. ‘you are eligible to enter this competition’).

Illegible means not clear enough to be read (e.g. ‘your handwriting is illegible’).

Equable means calm and even-tempered (e.g. ‘she remained equable at all times’).

Equitable means fair and just (e.g. ‘this is an equitable system’).

Flare means: (1) a sudden brief burst of flame or light; (2) a device producing a very bright flame as a signal or marker; (3) a gradual widening towards the hem of a garment; or (4) trousers of which the legs widen from the knees.

Flair means: (1) natural ability or talent; or (2) stylishness.

Flaunt means to display something ostentatiously (e.g. ‘he flaunted his newly acquired wealth’).

Flout means to disobey a rule or law (e.g. ‘she flouted the speeding restrictions’).

Insidious means proceeding in a gradual and harmful way (e.g. ‘that is an insidious practice’).

Invidious means unacceptable, unfair and likely to arouse resentment or anger in others (e.g. ‘she was placed in an invidious position’).

Loose means not fixed in place or tied up (e.g. ‘a loose tooth’).

Lose means to no longer have or become unable to find.

Omit means to leave something out (e.g. ‘paragraph 3 should be omitted’).

Emit means to discharge something (e.g. ‘the factory emitted smoke’).

Pedal is a noun meaning a foot-operated lever.

Peddle is a verb meaning to sell goods.

Practice is a noun meaning the action of doing something rather than the theories about it. Practice is also the spelling for the verb in American English.

Practise is the British English spelling of the verb (e.g. ‘I need to practise my French’).

Prescribe means to recommend the use of a medicine or treatment or to state officially that something should be done (e.g. ‘the doctor prescribed a course of treatment’).

Proscribe means to forbid or condemn something (e.g. ‘the statute proscribes the use of dangerous chemicals’).

Principal is usually an adjective meaning main or most important (e.g. ‘the country’s principal exports’).

Principle is a noun that usually means a truth or general law used as the basis for something (e.g. ‘the general principles of law’).

Stationary is an adjective meaning not moving or changing (e.g. ‘the car was stationary at the traffic lights’).

Stationery is a noun meaning paper and other writing materials (e.g. ‘the paper is kept in the stationery cupboard’).

Story means a tale or account of something (e.g. ‘we listened to his story with interest’).

Storey means the floor of a building (e.g. ‘the office was on the tenth storey of the building’).

Tortious means having the nature of a tort, wrongful (e.g. ‘he committed a tortious act and is therefore likely to be sued’).

Tortuous means: (1) full of twists and turns (e.g. ‘a tortuous route’); or (2) excessively complex (e.g. ‘a tortuous case’).

Unexceptional means not out of the ordinary (e.g. ‘his performance in the examination was unexceptional’).

Unexceptionable means not able to be objected to, but not particularly new or exciting (e.g. ‘the hotel was unexceptionable’).

Whose means belonging to or associated with which person, or of whom or which (e.g. ‘whose is this?’ or ‘she’s a woman whose views I respect’).

Who’s is short for either who is or who has (e.g.‘he has a daughter who’s a legal secretary’ or ‘who’s arranged the conference?’).

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