Allude and Elude

To allude to something means to make an indirect reference. (Don't use allude to mean
"to refer directly.") To elude means to evade or to escape understanding or attention. See
also: Allusion and Illusion.

Examples:

Some passages in the New testament allude to incidents and prophecies in the Old
Testament. The meaning of this particular passage eludes me.

Allusion and Illusion

The noun allusion means "an indirect reference to a person, event, or thing." Illusion is a
noun that means "false impression."

Examples:

The president spoke of "hills to climb" and seeing "the valley below," biblical allusions
to Israel's escape from slavery. Some listeners felt that his hopeful message was based,
unfortunately, on an illusion.

Altar and Alter

The noun altar refers to the table in churches where religious ceremonies are carried out.
The verb alter means to change, modify, or adjust.

Examples:

• "I feel sure that no girl would go to the altar if she knew all." (Queen Victoria)

• "The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their
lives by altering their attitudes of mind." (Lee Iacocca)

Appraise and Apprise

The verb appraise means to evaluate or set a price on something. To apprise is to inform
or notify someone.

Examples:
 • "When one cannot appraise out of one's own experience, the temptation to
blunder is minimized, but even when one can, appraisal seems chiefly useful as
appraisal of the appraiser." (Marianne Moore)

• Agricultural scientists should apprise farmers of the latest techniques for safe
food storage.

Are and Our

Examples:

• "I never said all actors are cattle; what I said was all actors should be treated like
cattle." (Alfred Hitchcock)

• "Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The
human mind is our fundamental resource." (John F. Kennedy)

Baited and Bated

A hook, witness, or animal is baited ("lured, enticed, tempted"). Breath is bated
("moderated").

Examples:

• "A former top aide to the Archbishop of Westminster was 'threatened and baited
like an animal' by the Daily Mail, a jury was told today."
(Chris Tryhorn, "Aide 'Baited Like an Animal' by Daily Mail," The Guardian,
February 19, 2008)

• "To those waiting with bated breath for that favorite media catch phrase, the U-
turn, I have only one thing to say: You turn if you want to--the lady's not for
turning."
(British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, 1980)

Beside and Besides

Beside is a preposition meaning "next to." Besides is a preposition meaning "except" or
"in addition to." As a conjunctive adverb, besides means "also."

Examples:
Merdine was too proud to sit beside Gus; besides, she preferred to sit outside.

Breath and Breathe

Breath is a noun. Breathe is a verb.

Examples:

Finding it hard to breathe inside the submarine, I stepped out for a breath of fresh air.

Capital and Capitol

Capital has multiple meanings: (1) a city that serves as the seat of government; (2) wealth
in the form of money or property; (3) an asset or advantage; (4) a capital letter (the type
of letter used at the beginning of a sentence). Capitol refers to the building in which a
legislative assembly meets. (Remember that the o in capitol is like the o in the dome of a
capitol.)

Examples:

• The dome of the United States Capitol may well be the most famous man-made
landmark in America.

• Juneau is the capital of Alaska.

Chord and Cord

The noun chord is a musical term (two or more notes sounded together); chord also refers
to an emotion or disposition ("a responsive chord"). The noun cord refers to a rope or a
bond, an insulated electrical cable, or an anatomical structure ("vocal cords").

Examples:

• The movie begins with with the first, jangling chord from "A Hard Day's Night."
 • “No cord or cable can draw so forcibly, or bind so fast, as love can do with a
single thread.” (Robert Burton)

Click and Clique

As a noun, click refers to a brief, sharp noise. The verb click means to produce a clicking
sound or to press down and release a button on a mouse or other pointing device. The
noun clique refers to an exclusive group of friends or associates.

Examples:

• Although people have been trained not to click on suspicious e-mails, they don't
operate with the same sense of caution when presented with a link on Facebook or
Twitter.

• You're entering a danger zone if your clique determines the way you act and who
you can be friends with.

Climactic and Climatic

The adjective climactic corresponds to the noun climax: "a climactic scene." The
adjective climatic corresponds to the noun climate: "climatic research."

Examples:

• In the climactic chase, the fugitive runs through downtown Manhattan and up the
steps of the courthouse.

• Most climatologists prefer to follow 1000-year cycles or longer when describing

climatic changes in earth's history.

Clothes and Cloths

The noun clothes means "clothing." Cloths is the plural of cloth (fabric).

Examples:

Put your filthy clothes in the hamper, and then wipe your face with a damp cloth.
Days and Daze
Days is the plural form of the noun day (as in "one or two days a week"). The noun daze
means a stunned or bewildered condition; as a verb, daze means to stun or to dazzle.

Examples:

• After the accident, she wandered around in a daze.

• Saturday and Sunday are my favorite days of the week.

Defective and Deficient

The adjective defective means faulty, marked by a defect. The adjective deficient means
inadequate or insufficient, lacking an essential quality.

Examples:

• A spokeswoman said the cause of the disaster was probably a defective lid on one
of the turbines.

• "After all, it is the divinity within that makes the divinity without; and I have been
more fascinated by a woman of talent and intelligence, though deficient in
personal charms, than I have been by the most regular beauty." (Washington
Irving)

Deprecate and Depreciate

The verb deprecate means to deplore, disparage, express disapproval of something. The
verb depreciate means to drop in value or to lower in estimation or esteem. Both verbs
can also mean belittle. (See usage notes below.)

Examples:

• "The Brits and the Yanks. It's a peculiar, elusive and deceptive relationship. . . .
Our role is to ingratiate, self-deprecate, grovel and try to do cute. Yours is to toss
us such occasional plaudits as you see fit."
(David Cox, "How to Lose Friends Is Living Proof the Brits Aren't Coming." The
Guardian, Oct. 6, 2008)
 • Any new automobile bought in the fall will depreciate quickly because next
year's model will soon replace it.

Device and Devise

The noun device means "a gadget." The verb to devise means "to plan."

Examples:

The computer can be a clever device for avoiding thought. We need to devise a new way
of thinking.

Discreet and Discrete

The adjective discreet means "tactful" or "prudent self-restraint." Discrete means
"distinct" or "separate."

Examples:

• "Be discreet in all things, and so render it unnecessary to be mysterious about

any." (Arthur Wellesley)

• "Males do not represent two discrete populations, heterosexual and homosexual.

The world is not to be divided into sheeps and goats." (Alfred Kinsey)

Envelop and Envelope

Envelop (with the accent on the second syllable) is a verb meaning "cover" or "enclose."
Envelope (first syllable accented) is a noun meaning "container used for mailing."

Examples

• A smoky haze from the steel mills used to envelop the city.
• "Letters are expectation packaged in an envelope." (Shana Alexander)

Explicit and Implicit

Explicit means clearly expressed or readily observable. Implicit means implied or
expressed indirectly.
Examples:

• "Go home now!" was Dr. Legree's explicit command.

• You must listen carefully and critically to understand Snoop's implicit message.

Farther and Further

Farther usually refers to physical distance. Further refers to an extension of time or
degree.

Examples:

We traveled farther in one week than any of us had expected. The trip took us even
further into debt.

Faze and Phase

The verb faze means to bother or disturb the composure (of someone). As a noun, phase
means a stage of development or a distinct portion of a process, system, or presentation.
As a verb, phase means to plan or carry out systematically in stages.

Examples:

• It takes a lot more than boos and catcalls to faze Norma.

• Being the first to cross the finish line makes you a winner in only one phase of
life.

Foreword and Forward

The noun foreword refers to a preface or an introductory note, often one composed by a
person other than the author. Forward is an adjective and an adverb with several
meanings related to direction.

Examples:

• Jim Norton is an ass. When he asked me to write this foreword to his book, he, of
course, never thought to send me the book itself because he doesn't read books
 and doesn't realize that the foreword is supposed to have a part where the person
says this book is one of the funniest . . . it resonates . . . it's a fresh voice on the
literary scene."
(Colin Quinn, foreword to Happy Endings, by Jim Norton, Simon and Schuster,
2007)
• "We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because
we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."
(Walt Disney)

Forth and Fourth

The adverb forth means onward in time, place, or order. It appears in the expressions
"and so forth" and "back and forth." The adjective fourth refers to the ordinal number
between third and fifth. Fourth may also refer to a musical tone or a gear on a vehicle.

Examples:

• "Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the
torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans." (President John F.
Kennedy)

• Jake's fourth grade class was given an assignment to draw something interesting
that can be found inside the house.

Flaunt and Flout

To flaunt means "to show off." To flout means "to defy" or "to show contempt for."

Examples:

• "They flaunt their conjugal felicity in one's face, as if it were the most fascinating
of sins." (Oscar Wilde)

• Drivers are still flouting the law and using their cell phones on the road despite
facing hefty penalties.

Gourmand and Gourmet

The noun gourmand refers to someone who is extremely (and often excessively) fond of
eating and drinking. A gourmet (both a noun and an adjective) is a connoisseur: someone
with refined tastes in food and drink.

Examples:

• In his first movie role, Charles Laughton played a grotesque gourmand who
anticipated Monty Python's Mr. Creosote.

• Gourmet trends have spelled doom for such formerly obscure species as Chilean
sea bass, monkfish, and orange roughy.

Grisly and Grizzly

The adjective grisly means horrible, fearsome, disgusting. The noun grizzly refers to a
large brown bear. As an adjective, grizzly (more commonly grizzled) means streaked with
gray.

Examples:

• The scene with the flesh-eating robot was grisly and almost unwatchable.

• Researchers are now studying the DNA of grizzly bears.

Hanged and Hung

For centuries, hanged and hung were used interchangeably as the past participle of hang.
Most contemporary usage guides insist that hanged, not hung, should be used when
referring to executions: convicted killers are hanged; posters are hung. But see the usage
notes below.

Examples:

• Don't mention a rope in the house of one whose father was hanged.
• "A room hung with pictures is a room hung with thoughts." (Joshua Reynolds)

Hardy and Hearty

The adjective hardy (related to hard) means daring, courageous, and capable of surviving
difficult conditions. The adjective hearty (related to heart) means showing warm and
heartfelt affection or providing abundant nourishment.

Examples:

• The miniature rose may look delicate, but it is an exceptionally hardy flower.

• "Hearty laughter is a good way to jog internally without having to go outdoors."

(Norman Cousins)

Hoard and Horde

The noun hoard refers to a supply of something that has been stored up and often hidden
away. As a verb, hoard means to collect and store away or to keep something to oneself.
The noun horde means a crowd, throng, or swarm.

Examples:

• An unemployed man with a metal detector stumbled upon one of the greatest
hoards of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever discovered in Britain.

• Nintendo's new video game system has attracted hordes of casual gamers.

Home and Hone

Traditionally, a missile homes in (not hones in) on a target. Hone means "to sharpen."
The verb home means "to move toward a goal" or "to be guided to a target." But some
usage guides (see notes below) now recognize hone in on as an acceptable alternative to
home in on.

Examples:

• "Much like a heat-seeking missile, a new kind of particle homes in on the blood
vessels that nourish aggressive cancers, before unleashing a cell-destroying drug."
(Ewen Callaway, New Scientist, July 2008)
 • "A fellow who has a funny bone can learn to hone his skills, but I don't think you
can develop a funny bone: you either have it or you don't." (Carl Reiner)

Hoping and Hopping

Hoping is the present-participle form of hope ("to wish for"). Hopping is the present-
participle form of hop (like a bunny).

Examples:

Alice was hopping on one foot, hoping that she wouldn't fall.

Imply and Infer

A speaker implies ("suggests") something; a listener infers (or "deduces").

Examples:

The manager implied that I was a bad risk. I inferred from her remarks that she thought I
was lazy.

In and Into
A person who is in a room may decide to move into another room. Into suggests
movement.

Examples:

After waiting in the hallway for 20 minutes, I finally walked into the manager's office.

Incredible and Incredulous

Incredible means "unbelievable." Incredulous means "skeptical" or "expressive of
disbelief."

Examples:

• "All men are prepared to accomplish the incredible if their ideals are threatened."
(Maya Angelou)
 • "It may not be amiss to add, for the benefit of incredulous readers, that all the
'improbable events' in the story are matters of fact, taken from the printed
narrative." (Wilkie Collins)

Ingenious and Ingenuous

The adjective ingenious means extremely clever--marked by inventive skill and
imagination. Ingenuous means straightforward, candid, without guile.

Examples:

• "To read of a detective's daring finesse or ingenious stratagem is a rare joy." (Rex
Stout)
• She was enchanted by his ingenuous expression and frank blue eyes.

Intense and Intent

The adjective intense means profound, deeply felt, or extreme in degree, strength, or size.
The adjective intent means focused or concentrated. The noun intent means aim or goal.

Examples:

• Intense feelings can obscure common sense.

• "It's like an act of murder; you play with intent to commit something." (Duke
Ellington)

Later and Latter

Use later when referring to time. Use latter when referring to the second of two persons
or things mentioned previously. See also: Last and Latter.

Examples:

• Though Amy said that she would join me later, I never saw her again.
 • "There are two kinds of worries: those you can do something about and those you
can't. Don't spend any time on the latter." (Duke Ellington)

Lay and Lie

The verb lay means "to put"; it takes a direct object. The verb lie means "to rest"; it does
not take a direct object. Don't confuse the past and past participle forms of these verbs:

• LAY (present), laid (past), and laid (past participle)

• LIE (present), lay (past), and lain (past participle)

Liable and Libel

The adjective liable (a three-syllable word) means subject to, obligated to, or responsible
for something. The noun or verb libel (a two-syllable word) refers to a false publication
that damages a person's reputation.

Examples:

• The court ruled that school officials cannot be held financially liable for the
improper search.

• Because of rising legal costs, regional newspapers may not be able to defend
themselves in libel actions.

Lightening and Lightning

The noun lightening means making lighter in weight or changing to a lighter or brighter
color. Lightning is the flash of light that accompanies thunder.

Examples:

• The sun, not bleach, was responsible for lightening my hair.

• A church steeple with a lightning rod on top seems to show a lack of confidence.

Loose and Lose

The adjective loose means "not tight." The verb lose means "not to win" or "not to keep."
Examples:

Because your belt is loose, you will probably lose your pants.

Miner and Minor

The noun miner refers to a person who works in a mine. The noun minor refers to
someone who is under legal age or to a secondary area of academic study. As an
adjective, minor means lesser or smaller.

Examples:

• "It is only because miners sweat their guts out that superior persons can remain
superior." (George Orwell, The Road to Wigan Pier)

• In many states, it is illegal to transport a minor across state lines for an abortion.

• "We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average
star." (Stephen Hawking)

Moot and Mute

The adjective moot refers to something that is debatable or of no practical importance.
The adjective mute means unspoken or unable to speak.

Examples:

• The court ruled on Thursday that the appeal was moot because the hostile offer
had been withdrawn.
• Several factors help to make sense of Russia's mute response to the crisis.

Moral and Morale

The adjective moral (with the accent on the first syllable) means "ethical" or "virtuous."
As a noun moral refers to the lesson or principle taught by a story or event. The noun
morale (second syllable accented) means "spirit" or "attitude."
Examples:

• "Will springs from the two elements of moral sense and self interest." (Abraham
Lincoln)
• " Morale is the greatest single factor in successful wars." (Dwight Eisenhower)

Noisome and Noisy

The adjective noisome means obnoxious, harmful, offensive to the senses (especially the
sense of smell). It doesn't mean making noise (noisy).

Examples:

• "Man is a noisome bacillus whom Our Heavenly Father created because he was
disappointed in the monkey." (Mark Twain)

• "Nowadays men lead lives of noisy desperation." (James Thurber)

Obsolescent and Obsolete

The adjective obsolescent refers to the process of passing out of use or usefulness--
becoming obsolete. The adjective obsolete means no longer in use--outmoded in design,
style, or construction.

Examples:

• "About the time President Abraham Lincoln issued his initial Emancipation
Proclamation in 1862, the New York State Legislature declared the Erie Canal
Enlargement Project complete. Then, another major engineering triumph, the New
York Central Railroad, consolidated in 1853, was hauling more freight and
passengers quicker and cheaper. That brought about the bigger but already
obsolescent New York State Barge Canal."
(M.D. Morris, "Erie Canal Exemplifies Engineering," Ithaca Journal, February
17, 2003)

• "Adults are just obsolete children and the hell with them."
(Dr. Seuss)

Official and Officious

As an adjective, official means authorized, authoritative, or characteristic of an office.
The adjective officious means meddlesome--excessively eager to offer help or advice.
Officious generally carries a negative connotation.

Examples:

• With only two days of official negotiating time left, hope of progress was quickly
evaporating at the climate talks.

• Official letters and forms sometimes come across as unsympathetic or officious.

Peace and Piece

The noun peace means contentment or the absence of war. A piece is a unit or a portion.
You may "say your piece" or "hold your peace."

Examples:

• "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know
peace." (Jimi Hendrix)

• "Always give people a piece of your heart, not a piece of your mind."

Precede and Proceed

Precede means "to come before." Proceed means "to go forward."

Examples:

Bill Clinton preceded George W. Bush in the White House. Bush proceeded with his
plans to increase military spending.

Pore and Pour

The verb pore means to read or study carefully. To pour is to dispense a drink or other
substance.

Examples:
 • Merdine pored over the rules, searching for a loophole.
• "Happiness is a perfume which you cannot pour on someone without getting
some on yourself." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Premier and Premiere

As an adjective, premier means first in rank or importance. The noun premier refers to a
prime minister, or the head of a state, province, or territory. The noun premiere refers to
the first performance (of a play, for example). Premiere is similarly used as a verb,
meaning to give a first public performance.

Examples:

• "The Pittsburgh gathering was the third summit in a year for the G20, which said
it would now be the "premier forum" for economic cooperation." (Reuters, Sep.
25, 2009)

• "Monday night also saw the world premiere of the Age of Stupid, which was held
in a blue-lit tent near the site of the former World Trade Center. The film was
simultaneously broadcast to more than 700 cinemas and private screenings around
the world." (The Guardian, Sep. 22, 2009)

Quell and Quench

The verb quell means to suppress, pacify, or put down with force. The verb quench
means to satisfy, extinguish, or cool down.

Examples:

• The government launched an offensive to quell a turf war between rival cartels.

• The reservoir holds 800 million gallons of water to quench the thirst of nearly a
million New Yorkers.

Quotation and Quote

In formal English, quotation is a noun, quote a verb. But note the observations below.
Examples:

• I hate quotations. Tell me what you know." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

• She defended her case by quoting passages from the Bible.

Rack and Wrack

As verbs, rack means to torture or cause great suffering, while wrack means to wreck or
cause the ruin of something. The noun rack means a frame, an instrument of torture, or a
state of intense anguish. The noun wrack means destruction or wreckage.

Idiomatically, we may rack our brains, have a nerve-racking experience, and be racked
with guilt, but what we're inevitably headed for is wrack and ruin.

Examples:

• "To delight in seeing men stabbed, poisoned, racked, or impaled is certainly the
sign of a cruel temper." (Joseph Addison)

• "I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with
sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand
thing." (Agatha Christie)

• "I'd like to be buried Indian-style, where they put you up on a high rack, above
the ground." (Jack Handy)

• "O Time the fatal wrack of mortal things." (Anne Bradstreet)

Review and Revue

The noun revue refers to a musical or theatrical production. As both a noun and a verb,
review has the sense of inspecting, surveying, or critically evaluating.

Examples:

• Cameron's new movie has received mixed reviews from the critics.
 • Choreographer Christopher Marney has put together Hotel Follies in the style of
an old-fashioned revue.

Shear and Sheer

The verb shear means to cut or clip. As a noun, shear refers to the act, process, or fact of
cutting or clipping. The adjective sheer means fine, transparent, or complete. As an
adverb, sheer means completely or altogether.

Examples:

• Few people these days know the proper way to shear a sheep.

• "English usage is sometimes more than mere taste, judgment and education--
sometimes it's sheer luck, like getting across the street." (E.B. White)

Tail and Tale

Both a noun and a verb, tail has several meanings, including the rear part of an animal or
vehicle. The noun tale refers to a report or story.

Examples:

• "A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other
way." (Mark Twain)

• "Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale." (Hans Christian Andersen)

Vain, Vane, and Vein

The adjective vain means conceited or fruitless. The noun vane refers to a device for
showing wind direction. The noun vein refers to a blood vessel, a streak, or a crack.

Examples:

• Fame often makes a writer vain.

 • The vane on top of Faneuil Hall in Boston is in the shape of a grasshopper.

• "It is in men as in soils, where sometimes there is a vein of gold which the owner
knows not of." (Jonathan Swift)

Waist and Waste

The noun waist refers to the narrow part of the body between the ribs and hips. The verb
waste means to use or spend thoughtlessly. As a noun, waste means unwanted material or
barren land.

Examples:

• "I may be paralyzed from the waist down, but unlike Gray Davis, I'm not
paralyzed from the neck up." (Larry Flynt)

• "We cannot waste time. We can only waste ourselves." (George Matthew Adams)

• "Humanity is the rich effluvium, it is the waste and the manure and the soil, and
from it grows the tree of the arts." (Ezra Pound)

Young and Youthful

Although these two adjectives have similar meanings, young tends to be a neutral
statement of fact (in an early stage of life) while youthful often suggests the positive
qualities of youth (such as good health, freshness, and vitality) and almost always refers
to people, not things.

Examples:

• "It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is
beauty and there is strength." (Maya Angelou)

• Thomas Jefferson was once young but never youthful. Something--a quality of
youthful zest or spontaneity--was left out of his makeup.