• A • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
a lot |
A lot is two words meaning “much”: A lot of bologna was left over from the party. |
allot |
|
a while |
A while is two words meaning “a short period of time”: I will meet you in a while. |
awhile |
|
a |
A is an indefinite article to be used before nouns beginning with a consonant: a photograph, a tree, a horse. |
an |
An is to be used before nouns beginning with a vowel (or vowel sound): an apple, an hour, an elephant. |
and |
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 finallyacceded to accepting the presidency of the company. |
exceed |
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 to living away from home. |
adept |
Adept means “skilled”: Lucille is adept at speaking languages. |
adopt |
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 in adverse winter conditions may be putting themselves at risk. |
averse |
Averse means “unwilling or repelled”: She was immediately averse to the idea. |
|
advice |
Advice is a noun meaning “an opinion given with the intention of helping”: My mother still gives me advice even though I’m 40 years old. |
advise |
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 influence”: The president’s speech affected his views of the upcoming election. |
effect |
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 community gives aid to those less fortunate. |
aide |
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 Radclyffe put on airs at the fine dinner party just because she had a few diamonds. |
heirs |
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 all right here? |
alright |
Alright is a single word meaning “OK”: Is everything alright here? |
|
all together |
All together is applied to people or things that are 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 |
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 tried all ways to navigate the storm. |
always |
Always means “forever”: Sue St. Marie always responded calmly during emergency situations. |
|
allude |
Allude means “to suggest indirectly”: Leticia can’t speak to her husband without alluding to his affair with Martha Snodgrass. |
elude |
Elude means “to dodge or escape”: Serious relationships always seemed to elude him. |
|
allusion |
An allusion is a subtle reference or hint: Rita Book made an allusion to the most recent novel she read in our conversation yesterday. |
illusion |
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 graduated from college by now. |
most |
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 hear you”: Read this paragraph aloud. |
allowed |
Allowed means “having permission”: His boss allowed him to take the weekend off. |
|
already, all ready |
Already is an adverb that indicates an action is 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 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 |
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-natured, and pleasant: Susan was very amiable and liked immediately. |
amicable |
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 choose among three universities she might attend. |
between |
Between is used for two things: I couldn’t decide between blue and green. |
|
amoral |
Amoral means “having no principles at all, good or bad”: Percy is totally amoral; he is either helping others or helping himself at their expense. |
immoral |
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: a large amount of money, amount of work, amount of happiness or amount of dirt. |
number |
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 children were amused by watching the kittens play. |
bemused |
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 go, but not all of you. |
anyone |
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 forms. |
anywhere |
nowhere |
anyways |
anywheres |
nowheres |
|
apart |
Apart is an adverb meaning “in pieces”: My plan for my vacation fell apart. |
a part |
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 appraise a diamond. |
apprise |
Apprise is to inform or notify: the officer apprised us of our rights. |
|
arcane |
Arcane refers to things known and understood by few people: Amanda Lynn teaches arcane theories of modern music at the college. |
archaic |
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 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 |
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 presidency of the company came slowly. |
assent |
Assent means “to agree to”: Greta could not begin the project unless management assented. |
|
ascetic |
An ascetic is a person who renounces all material 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 |
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 feelings of jealousy to insecurity. |
describe |
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 campaign was filled with one aspersion after another. |
dispersion |
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 to the patients. |
assistants |
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 quality item. |
ensure |
Ensure means “to make sure by double checking”: The custodian ensured the doors to the school were locked at night. |
insure |
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 to ice fish, you need to first drill a hole in the ice with an auger. |
augur |
Augur means “to predict, forecast”: Leroy’s inheritance augured happiness for him in the future. |
• B • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
bad |
Bad is an adjective used after verbs like am, feel, is, seem, and become: They felt bad. (Using badly here would mean that their skill at feeling is poor). |
badly |
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 hunt them is illegal in most states. |
bated |
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 is refreshing. |
bear |
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 morning bazaar is worth seeing even if you buy nothing. |
bizarre |
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 sink. |
besides |
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 advice that hints at an undesirable consequence if not followed: You had better go to the doctor. Don’t leave out have. |
had better |
|
between |
See among, between. |
among |
|
biannual |
Biannual is twice in one year: My trip to the dentist is a biannual event. |
biennial |
Biennial means “every two years”: These flowers are biennial; they bloom every two years. |
|
bimonthly |
Bimonthly means “every two months”: We order from the co-op bimonthly. |
semimonthly |
Semimonthly means “twice a month (biweekly)”: We have our house cleaned semimonthly. |
|
blithe |
Blithe, an adjective, means “lighthearted and carefree”: A blithe mood overcomes us in the spring. |
lithe |
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 much fun as blondes (blonde women). |
blond |
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 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 |
Bored means “not interested”: She is bored by the dry lecture. |
|
bore |
A bore is a boring or tiresome person or thing: Jasper is such a bore when he talks about his cats! |
boar |
A boar is a male pig: Wild boars abound in this forest. |
boor |
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 12:01 New Year’s day. |
borne |
Borne means “carried”: All gossip is borne by an ill wind. |
|
borrow |
Borrow is to receive something from someone temporarily: to borrow a book and then return it. |
lend |
Lend is a verb that mean “to temporarily give something to someone”: Henry will lend (or loan) Francine a book. |
loan |
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”: Braised meat is usually tender. |
braze |
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 ice. |
break |
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 lungs”: Take a deep breath and relax. |
breathe |
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 threw her bridal bouquet to the screaming crowd of single women. |
bridle |
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 the house. |
buy |
Buy means “purchase”: Grandpa buys an ice cream cone every Sunday afternoon. |
bye |
Bye means “farewell or good-bye”: Bye, now; I’ll see you later. |
• C • |
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 beach. |
canvass |
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 capital of the United States is Washington DC. Capital can also mean “wealth” or “a large letter”. |
capitol |
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 censored all references to smoking in school publications. |
sensor |
A sensor is something that interprets stimulation: The lights are turned on by a movement sensor. |
censure |
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 theorist in his speech. |
site |
Site is a noun meaning “a place”: At which site will we stage the party? |
sight |
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 the climactic moment of a movie. |
climatic |
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, not fine”: We need to use coarse sandpaper to remove the paint from this wood. |
course |
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 with the people on your team. |
corroborate |
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 complete”: Their two personalities complement each other. |
compliment |
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 passive voice: The class is composed of students of several nationalities. |
comprise |
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 time as something else: concurrent blizzards in three different states. |
consecutive |
Consecutive means “successive or one after another”: The state had three consecutive blizzards that month. |
|
conform |
Conform means “to be similar to”: Some schools conform their students by using uniforms. |
confirm |
Confirm is to make sure or double check: to confirm a flight reservation. |
|
congenial |
Congenial describes something likeable, suitable to taste: They enjoy the congenial surroundings in their home. |
congenital |
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’ connotes warmth and safety. |
denote |
Denote means to “indicate specifically, to mean”: ‘Home’ denotes the place where you live. |
|
conscience |
Conscience is the feeling or knowledge of right and wrong: My conscience wouldn’t allow me to compete with someone so much weaker than me. |
conscious |
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”: We need continual rain throughout the summer for crops to grow. |
continuous |
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 something to be true: Well, Argyle Greenpasture has convinced me that aliens do exist. |
persuade |
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 to thank you for your cooperation with us on the project. |
corporation |
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 dedicated to a single goal: Lucinda joined the Peace Corps after college. |
core |
A core is the center of a fruit containing seeds: Bartholomew eats apples, core and all. |
corpse |
A corpse is a dead body: The corpse of Danny’s dog was lovingly laid to rest in the back yard. |
|
correspondence |
Correspondence is agreement or written communication such as letters or news articles: Phil and Rachel continued their correspondence for years. |
correspondents |
Correspondents are those who write this communication: Rhoda Lott has lived abroad as a news correspondent for several years. |
|
could not care less |
This expression is often confusing for English language 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 on an issue: The school board council meets every Thursday evening. |
counsel |
Counsel is advice: I always go to Clyde for counsel on the tough decision in my life. |
consul |
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 was sneaking up on her. |
creek |
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 credible evidence that it was I who broke the lamp. |
creditable |
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 this job. |
criterion |
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 to remove your shoes when entering a home. |
costume |
A costume is the outfit worn to represent a particular time, event, or culture: What is your costume for Halloween going to be? |
• D • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
dairy |
A dairy is a farm where milk and milk products are produced: Madeleine grew up on a dairy and knows how to churn butter. |
diary |
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 particular facts or instances: I’ve seen hundreds of robins and they all have red breasts. (General principle-all robins have red breasts. ) |
induction |
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, meaning “a wasteland”): Cooley deserted his family when they all got tattoos and lip piercings. |
dessert |
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 device will peel apples for you. |
devise |
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 in divers ways. |
diverse |
Diverse means “different or varied”: There are many diverse cultures in the world. |
|
different from |
Different from is the standard usage when comparing two things: Suzie’s sweater is different from Mary’s. Don’t say, “Different than something else.” |
different than |
|
discreet |
Discreet means “modest and prudent”: Please be discreet about the surprise party, we don’t want her to find out. |
discrete |
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 impartial”: Since she had nothing at stake, she was a disinterested party in the matter. |
uninterested |
Uninterested means “not interested”: Anita Job was just uninterested in the offer. |
|
dispersion |
See aspersion, dispersion. |
aspersion |
• E • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
e. g. |
e. g. is a Latin abbreviation meaning “for example”: Lucille doesn’t like fruit, e.g. pears, apples, grapes, and bananas. |
i. e. |
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: The twins love each other. |
one another |
Use one another in referring to more than two objects: The triplets all love one another. |
|
each |
These are singular distributive pronouns; use them with a singular verb. Each refers to a single individual in a group: Each of us voted differently. |
every |
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 had trouble eliciting responses from the students. |
illicit |
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 to settle in another: The emigrants left everything behind in search of something more. |
immigrant |
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”: Frances emigrated to the US. |
immigrate |
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 prestigious”: An eminent author came to read at the university. |
emanant |
Emanant means “sending or issuing forth”: Emanant thoughts like those should be kept to yourself. |
imminent |
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”: The therapist innervated the shoulders with massage. |
innervate |
Enervate is to weaken or destroy the vitality of: The negative attitude enervated her enthusiasm. |
|
entomology |
Entomology refers to the study of insects: Donald couldn’t be afraid of bugs if he wanted to get a degree in entomology. |
etymology |
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 intangible: Ethereal clouds hovered above; Everything in the ballroom looked ethereal. |
ephemeral |
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 must leave immediately. |
every one |
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 explicit directions. |
implicit |
Implicit means “indirectly, with some parts understood”: They implicitly agreed to never talk on the subject again. |
• F • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
fair |
A fair is an exhibition of farm produce usually with a collection of rides and attractions: Every year our family goes to the state fair. |
fare |
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 it to Poughkeepsie? |
further |
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 media didn’t faze Sharon. |
phase |
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 counted: Lureen has a few ideas; also a few keys, few clouds, few values, few diseases. |
less |
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 or exact: To say, “Horace died laughing,” is to speak figuratively. |
literally |
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 highly flammable/inflammable substance. However, flammable is now used as a warning to avoid misinterpreting the prefix in-as negation. |
inflammable |
|
flare |
Flare is to increase greatly, burn brightly, or something that provides a bright flame: The fire in the grill flared brightly when Eva tossed gasoline on it. |
flair |
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 could not forbear laughing in the library. |
forebear |
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 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 |
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 forth without looking back. |
fourth |
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”: Foul language, foul meat, and foul weather are unacceptable at a picnic. |
fowl |
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 only after I had stepped on them! |
founded |
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 on a shoal in the storm. |
flounder |
Flounder means “to move clumsily, with difficulty” or “to blunder”: Gladys Friday is floundering in college. |
• G • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
gibe |
Gibe means “to taunt, jeer, make fun of”: His classmates gibed Billy Earl for wearing his underwear over his clothes. |
gybe |
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 |
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 tropical forest. |
guerrilla |
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. |
• H • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
hail |
Hail means “to greet or to come from”: She hails from California. Hail also means “balls of ice”: Hail damaged the crops. |
hale |
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 executing someone by using a rope around the neck: Outlaws in the Old West were hanged when they could be caught. |
hung |
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 cows in the pasture. |
heard |
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 come here more often. |
hear |
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 substance. |
heroine |
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 important: The summit was a historic meeting between the countries. |
historical |
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”: Squirrels hoard acorns during the winter. |
horde |
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 sweater. |
whole |
Whole means “complete”: Stu Beef ate the whole pizza himself! |
|
home |
Home in is the correct phrase here is when referring to getting closer to a goal or target: The missile homed in electronically on the target. |
hone |
Hone means “to sharpen”: Denise made a resolution to hone her piano playing skills. |
• 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, ancient: These artifacts have been here since time immemorial. |
immortal |
Immortal describes things that live forever: The way Randolph drives, he must think that he is immortal. |
immoral |
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, imply |
Implicate means “to closely link or connect”: The 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 implied that her answer was no. |
infer |
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 other: In regard to your proposal I have an idea, or: As regards your proposal, I have an idea. NOT in regards to! |
as regards |
|
inchoate |
Inchoate describes something in an early stage of development, and that is incomplete: Lucy’s plan remained inchoate and was developed no further. |
incoherent |
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”: The incredible power of a tornado attracts storm chasers. |
incredulous |
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 during the summer of 2005 was intolerable. |
intolerant |
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 “without regard”: The young man left regardless of the warnings. |
regardless |
Irregardless is a double negative that should be avoided. |
|
its |
Its is the possessive form of it, like hers, his, and theirs: The dog licked its foot after stepping in maple syrup. |
it’s |
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.” |
• J • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
jibe |
See gibe, gybe, jibe. |
gibe |
gybe |
|
• K • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
kind of |
Avoid these expressions in the sense of “somewhat”, “rather” or “a little” (especially avoid reducing them to kinda and sorta). The pace of the baseball game was rather [not kind of] slow. |
sort of |
|
knew |
Knew is the past tense of know: She knew what she wanted to say but couldn’t say it. |
new |
New means “never used”: I ordered a new custom car from the factory today. |
• L • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
latent |
Latent means “present but not visible or active”: Just because I’m not in bed doesn’t mean that I don’t have a latent virus. |
patent |
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 o’clock. |
latter |
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 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 |
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 a noun meaning “a type of metallic element”: Use a lead pencil to fill in your answer sheet. |
led |
Led is the past tense of lead: Greg led the group this afternoon. |
|
lend |
Lend is a verb that mean “to temporarily give something to someone”: Lucy will lend or loan Chuck her books any day. |
loan |
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 |
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 lessened the headache pain with aspirin. |
lesson |
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”: Tom is liable to pay for the damage if he doesn’t prove his innocence. |
libel |
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 of”: My course load needs lightening if I am to complete this course successfully. |
lightning |
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 suitable than a shawl. |
lose |
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! |
• M • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
manner |
Manner is a way of doing or behaving: Duane Pipes installed the plumbing in a workman-like manner. |
manor |
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: Matilda set several candles on the mantel. |
mantle |
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 having marital problems. |
martial |
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 “to arrange”: The marshal gave orders to the troops. |
marshall |
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 glasses may be on the night stand. |
maybe |
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 and me about her trip to Africa. |
myself |
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 someone, to encounter”: Elroy plans to meet a colleague for lunch. |
mete |
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 |
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 change”: The banality of Rhoda Book’s stories militated against their becoming popular. |
mitigate |
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 Raymond’s mordant comments. |
trenchant |
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 was struck mute by the horror of the events. |
moot |
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. |
• N • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
no |
No means “the opposite of yes”: They all said no in response to the latest referendum. |
know |
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 harmful”: A noisome smell arose from the garbage can. |
noisy |
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, anywheres, nowheres. |
nowheres |
• O • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
obeisance |
Obeisance is respect and homage paid someone: Farina greeted the queen with sincere obeisance. |
obsequious |
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, dull, dense”: Brandon is so obtuse he doesn’t even know when he is being insulted. |
abstruse |
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 her makeup every morning and she ends up looking like a clown. |
overdue |
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. |
• P • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
pamper |
To pamper is to coddle, or treat with indulgence: The only time my mom pampers me is when I’m sick. |
pander |
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 ahead of: The boys passed through town quickly. |
past |
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 Falfa puts his cows out into the pasture every morning. |
pastor |
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 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 |
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 hostility: We all hope for peace throughout the world. |
piece |
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: The child peeked inside the gift. |
pique |
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. |
peak |
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 to peer through fog to keep the car on the highway. |
pier |
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)”: Little did Al Pacca know that the penultimate shrimp he ate was the one that gave him food poisoning. |
ultimate |
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 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 |
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 restaurant serves a piquant salsa that is absolutely delicious. |
pique |
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 region”: It was plain to see that Vanessa loved Conway, or Bowser’s farm was on a great plain where wheat grew well. |
plane |
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 sign of the future”: Ivan Oder took falling out of bed that morning as a portent of a greater disaster in the future. |
potent |
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 another: She poured some milk into the glass. |
pore |
A pore is to study or read intensely: Hilda pored over the materials nightly. |
pore |
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 practice: A Swiss Army knife has many practical uses. |
practicable |
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 front of”: The flower girl preceded the bride in the procession down the aisle. |
proceed |
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 basic premise was wrong, all the conclusions based on it were wrong, too. |
premises |
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 presence was comforting in Rod’s time of sorrow. |
presents |
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 school: The principal of the middle school is a woman of principles. |
principle |
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 $100,000 profit when they remodeled and sold their house. |
prophet |
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: Esmeralda is so profligate that she spent the entire million dollars she won in the lottery in one year. |
prolific |
Prolific means “abundant, fruitful, producing much”: John Grisham is a prolific writer. |
• Q • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
quiet |
Quiet means “without sound or mention of”: You are supposed to be quiet in hospitals and libraries. |
quite |
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 someone else said”: The pastor quoted scripture from the Bible or Carmen quoted a famous psychologist in complaining to the boss. |
quotation |
A quotation is the actual statement being quoted: Gretchen read a quotation every day. |
• R • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
rain |
Rain is the water that falls from the sky: Dingwell didn’t have sense enough to come in out of the rain. |
reign |
Reign is the rule of a king of queen: King Wilhelm reigned with an iron fist to keep peace in the land. |
rein |
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 corn. The Amish will raise the walls of a building by noon. |
raze |
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 the Southern US) where adverbs are not distinguished from adjectives: She sings real good, in standard English is: She sings really well. |
really |
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 situation”: She could not tell the difference between reality and fantasy. |
realty |
Realty is land or real estate: Realty in large cities is markedly expensive. |
|
rebate |
A rebate is a discount from the manufacturer to the customer after a purchase has been made: The $600 computer cost only $69.43 after all the rebates. |
refund |
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 regimen for a healthier lifestyle. |
regiment |
Regiment is a troop of soldiers: The army is made up of several regiments. |
|
residence |
A residence is where people live, the house or building: The mayor’s residence is located in the center of the city. |
residents |
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 behavior”: Mother always told us to be respectable in public. |
respectful |
Respectful refers to showing respect: Be respectful of the people around you, especially if they have sticks. |
respective |
Respective means “individual and appropriate”: The summer camp kids were shown to their respective cabins. |
|
respectfully |
Respectfully means “politely and with respect”: Mel Pew always dealt respectfully with each and every customer. |
respectively |
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”: Cory became restive once he knew the boss was going to call him into his office. |
restful |
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 times after swallowing a bite of Lurleen’s liver pudding. |
wretch |
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 taking: The mugger rifled Clarissa’s purse looking for cash. |
riffle |
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 thing to say. |
rite |
A rite is a ceremony: Final rites for the deceased were held in the church. |
write |
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 sun rises in the east. |
raise |
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 to stay on a main road wherever she travels. |
rode |
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 role of her entire movie career was that of the quirky neighbor inKeep 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 |
Roll is a verb meaning “to turn over and over”: Diane rolled the flat tire into the garage. |
• S • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
sale |
A sale is a noun meaning “the selling of something”: Every car sale means a commission for the salesman. |
sail |
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”: Every car sale means a commission for the salesman. |
sell |
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 sanguine about your getting this job. |
saturnine |
Saturnine means “being moody, sullen, or melancholy”: Ima Aiken falls into a saturnine mood every time her husband Hadley goes away on business. |
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scene |
Scene is a place or view: The scene of the crime was just outside his window. |
seen |
Seen is past tense of see: I have seen that movie three times already. |
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seam |
A seam is where two pieces are joined: The seam of Leticia’s dress ripped when she bent over. |
seem |
To seem is to appear or look as if: Leticia seemed unhappy when that happened. |
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semimonthly |
See bimonthly, semimonthly. |
bimonthly |
|
sensor |
See censor, sensor, censure. |
censor |
censure |
|
sensual |
Sensual refers to physical, especially sexual, pleasure: Derry Yare wears sensual dresses to attract men. |
sensuous |
Sensuous refers to anything artistic that appeals to the senses or appetites: Marguerita had prepared a sensual feast for her guests. |
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serf |
A serf is a slave or servant: Neil Downe came from a family of serfs but rose to become a landlord. |
surf |
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. |
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set |
Set is a transitive verb meaning “to put or place something solid somewhere”: Marvin set his new lamp on the table. |
sit |
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 |
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 from Jessie’s hatchet severed the rope. |
severe |
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 the spring and we shear the hedges in the summer. |
sheer |
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. |
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shore |
A shore is a beach: to spend a vacation on the shore. It also means “to brace or support”: They shored up the leaning wall with steel beams. |
sure |
Sure means “without doubt”: Maria was sure about the decision to move to another country. |
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singly |
Singly means “one by one”: The fire drill required everyone to leave the building quietly and singly. |
singularly |
Singularly means “extraordinarily, in an outstanding manner”: He singularly fought the rebels off one by one. |
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site |
See cite, site, sight. |
sight |
cite |
|
sleight-of-hand |
Sleight of hand refers to dexterity and trickery with the hands: The magician’s sleight of hand fooled the audience. |
slight-of-hand |
This phrase is often confused with slight of hand, an adjective phrase meaning “having small slender hands”. |
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sole |
Sole means “single”: The sole remaining person in the room left, leaving it empty. It also means the bottom of a foot or shoe: Gigi needed new soles on her shoes. |
soul |
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 need some time to think about it. |
sometime |
Sometime refers to an indistinct or unstated time in the future: I’ll see you around sometime. |
sometimes |
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 stationary until it was time to pounce on its prey. |
stationery |
Stationery refers to writing materials such as paper: Craig took out his best stationery to write to his beloved Charlotte Russe. |
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statue |
A statue is a carved or shaped imitation of an object: There is a statue of a large bird is in her garden. |
statute |
A statute is law: The government publishes new statutes each year. |
stature |
Stature means “status, standing”: Chester Drors is a man of substantial stature in state politics. |
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storey |
Storey is the British spelling of story when this word 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. |
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. |
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straight |
Straight is an adjective that means having “no bends or curve”s: Pimsley’s walking cane is as straight as an arrow. |
strait |
A strait is a narrow channel connecting two bodies of water: The Bering Strait lies between Alaska and Siberia. |
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supposedly |
Supposedly means “reputedly” or “likely to be true”: Sam is supposedly the greatest waterboy in the football team’s history. |
supposably |
Supposably means “can be supposed”: The best solution to the problem is supposably to ignore it. (However, this word is seldom used.) |
• T • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
taut |
Taut is a literary word that means “tight”: Hold the string taut while I mark the line. |
taught |
Taught is the past tense of teach: Kenneth taught etiquette and good manners for several years. |
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tenant |
A tenant is someone who rents property: A new tenant moved into the vacant apartment last week. |
tenet |
A tenet is a principle: The major tenets of all religions are similar. |
|
than |
Than is used to compare: Philippa Byrd thinks she is smarter than any of us. |
then |
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. |
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their |
Their is possessive of they: The twins left their books at home. |
there |
There refers to a place that is not here: We will be there in two hours. |
they’re |
They’re is a contraction for they are: They’re going to a concert tonight. |
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theirself |
Only themselves is correct as a reflexive or emphatic pronoun: They gave themselves all the credit for the rescue. |
theirselves |
themself |
themselves |
|
threw |
Although these two words are pronounced the same, 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 |
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. |
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throes |
Throes are severe pains or difficult times: Wade Rivers found it difficult to listen to his iPod in the throes of battle. |
throws |
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 you til tomorrow. Only one L. |
till |
Till is a verb meaning “to cultivate”: My Uncle Emmet tills about half the land on his farm and herds cattle on the rest. |
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to |
To is a preposition meaning “toward”: We go to the lake every summer. It also serves as the infinitive particle for verbs: I want to stop confusing words. |
too |
Too means “also”: I’d love to go with you, too. |
two |
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”: Prunella tried to elicit answers from the torpid students in front of her. |
turgid |
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. |
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tortuous |
Tortuous means “winding, crooked, with many twists and turns”: Wiley Driver was very adept at driving the tortuous mountain roads of western North Carolina. |
torturous |
Torturous means “very painful, like torture”: Mick Stupp found doing math homework torturous. |
• U • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
undoubtedly |
These three words may be used interchangeably, meaning “sure, without a doubt”: Mildred was undoubtedly| undoubtably|indubitably the best ballet dancer of all time. |
undoubtably |
indubitably |
|
uninterested |
See disinterested, uninterested. |
disinterested |
• V • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
vane |
A vane is blade that rotates: I don’t know how hard the wind blew; it blew the weather vane off the roof. |
vain |
Vain means “fruitless, hopeless, or without result”: Bertie harbors a vain hope of becoming a world-class ice skater. |
vein |
Vein refers to the tubes that carry blood back to the heart: The veins are usually smaller than the arteries. |
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venal |
Venal means “corruptible, money-grubbing, likely to accept bribes”: Chris Cross is a man so venal he charged his mother for taking her to the hospital. |
venial |
Venial means “easily forgiven”: The judge dismissed the venial crimes and focused on the theft of the chocolates. |
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verses |
Verses is plural of verse, a line of poetry: several Emerson’s verses were recited that evening. |
versus |
Versus means “in comparison or opposition to”: The benefits of having a cell phone versus not having one depend on the individual. |
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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. |
• WXYZ • |
WORDS |
DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES |
waist |
Waist refers the (often) narrow area of a human body between the hips and ribs: We often wear a belt around our waist. |
waste |
Waste is garbage, or waste can be a verb meaning “to use carelessly”: You shouldn’t waste food and you should recycle waste paper. |
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wary |
Wary means “leery and cautious”: The customer became wary when the salesperson said he would personally guarantee the TV set for 100 years. |
weary |
Weary means “tired and worn”: After a day of harvesting corn, the farmer was very weary. |
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wave |
To wave is to move back and forth; a wave is a swelling in a body of water due to movement: Helen Highwater waved her hand to the boat rocking in the waves. |
waive |
Waive means “to give up, not require or ask for”: Never waive your right to a lawyer. |
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weak |
Weak is not strong: Finley gave a weak performance; maybe because he has a weak mind. |
week |
Week refers to the names of the seven days, from Sunday to Saturday: I go to the ice skating rink once a week. |
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wear |
Wear is a verb (wear, wore, worn) meaning to have clothing on: Maud Lynn Dresser always wears gaudy evening gowns on formal occasions. |
ware |
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 |
Were is past tense of are: Maud and her fiance were at the ball last weekend. |
we’re |
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 beautiful weather for my daughter’s wedding. |
whether |
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 sleeping bag on our camping trip after a sudden storm. |
whet |
Whet is to stimulate or arouse: Smelling the stew whetted her appetite. |
|
which |
Which means “what particular choice”: Which witch put the spell on you? |
witch |
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 today? |
whose |
Whose is the possessive of who meaning “of whom”: Whose tickets are these? |
|
wont |
Wont means “used to”: Maggie was wont to getting everything her way and cried when she didn’t. |
won’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. |
It is a good list of words