List of Frequently Confused Words a lot many alot no such word (slang for "a lot") allot to distribute ability power to do something capacity facility to contain something abjure renounce adjure appeal accede to agree exceed to surpass accent vocal emphasis, to emphasize ascent vertical path upward assent agreement accept to receive, to regard as true except to exclude acquire to gain possession of attain to achieve a goal obtain to gain possession of adherence attachment adherents followers adapt to adjust adept skillful adopt to take or accept as one's own addition something added edition the total issue or number of copies adverse against averse disinclined affect as a verb-to influence, to change (usual usage) as a noun-affectation-as in "His accent was an affect." effect as a noun-a result (usual usage) as a verb-to bring about-as in "He will effect a recovery." affectation pretense affection fondness affinity connection to infinity limitless space, time, distance aggravate to worsen irritate to annoy, to cause discomfort aisle passageway isle land surrounded by water all ready entirely ready already reference to time all together in a group altogether completely allay to relieve alley a narrow passage ally a comrade, to join allude to refer indirectly to elude to evade refer to direct allusion an indirect reference delusion false reasoning illusion false vision altar a place of worship alter to change amateur a nonprofessional novice a beginner amiable good–natured amicable peaceful among more than two between only two amount measured quantity number counted entities anecdote a brief story antidote a remedy ante- before or prior to anti- against or opposed to anxious worried eager ardent, impatiently expectant apparent obvious through deductive reasoning evident obvious through external signs appraise to evaluate apprise to inform apprehend to seize, to grasp comprehend to understand apt appropriate liable bound to occur, legally obligated libel written slander likely probable, probably arrant notorious errand a task errant wandering, roving assay to analyze essay a short literary composition, to attempt assure to remove doubt ensure to guarantee insure to protect avocation a hobby vocation a profession bare to uncover bear an animal, to carry, to endure bazaar a market bizarre strange believe convinced by reason feel convinced by emotion berth a sleeping or mooring place birth origin, beginning of existence beside next to besides also biannual twice a year biennial every other year semiannual twice a year bi- every other period (biweekly, bimonthly) semi- twice within the period (semiweekly, semimonthly) billed requested payment build construct built constructed bloc a group of people block a solid object, to impede boar a male swine Boer a Dutch South African colonist boor a rude person bore a dull person, a hole, to make a hole born given birth to borne carried or supported bourn or bourne a stream, a limit or goal borough a governmental unit borrow to receive temporarily burro a donkey burrow a hole, to dig bouillon soup bullion bulk precious metal breadth width breath an inhalation or exhalation of air breathe to inhale and exhale air calendar a register of time calender a rolling machine colander a strainer can is able may is permitted cannon a big gun canon a law canvas cloth canvass to solicit, to survey capital the seat of government, investment money, an upper case letter capitol a legislative building carat or karat weight (four grains) caret an editor's mark carrot a vegetable casual informal, by chance causal referring to the cause ceiling the interior upper surface of a room sealing closing tightly censer incense burner censor to criticize, to delete from publication censure to blame cession surrender of a title or right session a meeting character the whole of an actual personality reputation the external perception of a personality chased pursued chaste pure, virginal choral, chorale a hymn corral a pen for animals chord a combination of musical notes cord a string cite to refer to, to summon sight vision or view site location climactic refers to climax climatic refers to climate close near, to shut clothes wearing apparel coarse not fine course a route, part of a curriculum, a division of a meal compare to assess similarities and differences contrast to assess differences complement to add to, to improve compliment to praise comprehensible understandable comprehensive inclusive confidant, trusted one, person in whom we confide confidante trusted one, female in whom we confide confident assured conscience sense of morality conscious awake consul an official council a conference, its members counsel an advisor, advice contemptible deserving of contempt contemptuous feeling of contempt contend to deal with, for, or against something content that which is contained within something contiguous adjoining, bordering continual occurring repeatedly continuous occurring ceaselessly convince to cause to believe persuade to cause to believe and act upon that belief core central part corp a group of people corespondent legal term correspondent a writer credible acceptable, believable creditable praiseworthy credulous gullible criteria standards criterion a single standard cymbal a musical instrument symbol a token, a representative sign decease die disease sickness decent respectable descent vertical path downward dissent disagreement dent a concavity, a surface depression dint effort deprecate to express disapproval, to belittle depreciate to decline in value desert arid land, to abandon dessert a sweet food, a reward device an appliance devise to plan die to expire from life dye a coloring agent, to add color to discreet cautious or tactful discrete separate or distinct disinterested without self–interest uninterested indifferent, lacking interest disqualify to judge unfit, to eliminate from unqualified unfit, lacking qualifications for divers several diverse different, distinct in kind dual two duel a fight dying expiring from life dyeing coloring either one or the other neither none eligible qualified illegible unreadable ineligible unqualified legible readable elicit to draw forth, to evoke illicit improper emerge to come out from immerge to go into emigration leaving immigration entering eminent of highest status imminent soon to occur emulate to equal, to excel imitate to mimic, to copy envelop to surround, to enclose envelope a covering epigram a witty statement epitaph a tribute to the dead epithet a descriptive name equitable fair, just equable steady, uniform exalt to praise exult to rejoice exceedingly to a great degree excessively to too great a degree exceptional unusual exceptionable objectionable excerpt a selection, to select extract a concentrated portion, to pull out forcibly, to obtain excite to stir up emotionally incite to stir into action expect to believe a thing will happen suspect to doubt the truth of extant still existing extent the measure of, the limit facetious joking factious causing dissension factitious artificial fictitious imaginary faint not strong, to lose consciousness feign to give false appearance feint a diversionary tactic, to pretend fair a festival, not foul, light complexioned fare a toll, a toll payer, to get along famous celebrated notable remarkable noteworthy remarkable noted well–known, distinguished by reputation notorious widely known in an unfavorable sense farther physical distance further in addition to feat an accomplishment feet leg endings fete a festival fewer smaller number less smaller quantity flair ability, distinctive manner flare a flame, to flame flaunt to make a showy display of flout to disparage, to show contempt forbear to refrain from forebear an ancestor, a predecessor forceful vigorous forcible by force or strength foreword a preface forward a direction formally in a formal way formerly at a previous time fort a fortified building forte an ability, a strong point forth forward fourth between third and fifth funeral a ceremony funereal sad, melancholy gamble to wager gambol to leap about playfully genius exceptional ability genus type gibe to scoff at, to mock jibe to change direction (nautical) gild to overlay with gold guild an association gilt overlaid with gold guilt culpability, the opposite of innocence good not bad, the opposite of evil well not ill, skillfully or correctly-as in "well done." gorilla an ape guerrilla an irregular soldier gourmand a big eater, a glutton gourmet a connoisseur of foods grisly horrible gristly tough, tough and elastic grizzly gray–haired, a type of bear guarantee to secure, to ensure guaranty financial security or agreement hail frozen rain, to call aloud hale healthy hair a fibrous growth hare a rabbit-like rodent hanged a person is hanged hung an object is hung healthful contributing to good health healthy in good health hear to perceive sound here in this place hoard a cache horde a crowd hole a cavity whole entire holey having holes holy sacred wholly entirely human pertaining to homo sapiens humane benevolent, kind idle inactive idol an object of worship idyll a description of a peaceful country scene, or such a scene impassable can not be passed impassible without feeling impossible can not be accomplished imply to suggest, to state indirectly infer to draw a conclusion impostor the person who commits a fraud imposture the fraud committed incite to provoke insight mental vision incredible unbelievable incredulous unbelieving indict to accuse indite to write, to compose ingenious talented, clever, original ingenuous innocent, unsophisticated intelligent quick to learn smart in fashion invaluable priceless valuable worth a high price its a possessive pronoun it's a contraction of "it is" jealous envious zealous diligent, devoted, vigorous knight a rank night the opposite of day later after a passage of time latter the last mentioned laid past tense of lay lain past participle of lie (to recline) lane a track, a path lay to place, past tense of lie (to recline) lie a false statement, to state falsely, to recline lied past tense of lie (to state falsely) lye a caustic chemical lean free of fat, to incline lien a legal claim leave to depart from let to permit lessee lease holder lessor lease grantor lessen to make smaller lesson a unit of learning levee an embankment levy an imposition or assessment lightening decreasing in weight lightning an electrical discharge like a preposition (looks like rain) as an adverb or conjunction (dark as night) loose free, unrestrained, to set free loosen to let free lose to misplace luxuriant of abundant growth luxurious rich, splendid majority more than half plurality the largest part, but less than half marital concerning marriage marshal an official, to organize martial concerning the military masterful powerful, domineering masterly skillful medal a trophy, an award meddle to interfere metal a substance—such as gold, silver, steel, etc. mettle quality of a person's character miner a mine worker minor not of legal age, smaller, less important moral virtuous morale state of mind motif theme motive incentive naval pertaining to a navy navel a dent, a depression, site of the umbilical knot nausea illness nauseated feeling ill nauseous causing nausea new not old novel not common, a fictional work number things counted quantity amount measured occultist believes in dark forces, witchcraft, etc. oculist treats eyes ophthalmologist treats eyes optician makes eyeglasses optometrist checks vision official an authorized person, that which is authorized officer an elected or appointed person officious meddlesome ordinance a law ordnance military hardware orient east, to face or point toward something occident west oscillate to swing, to vibrate osculate to kiss overdo do to excess overdue past due paid past tense of "pay" (in the sense of a payment) payed out past tense of "pay out" (a hose, cable, line, etc.) pain discomfort pane a plate of glass pair two alike pare to cut away pear a fruit palate the roof of the mouth palette an artist's board pallet a bed, a skid paramount the highest of tantamount the same as partially not completely partly not all of something passed went beyond past ago, over peace serenity, absence of war piece a portion, a part pedal a foot lever peddle to sell perpetrate to commit perpetuate to preserve persecute to oppress, to harass prosecute to carry on, to pursue a course of action, to sue in a court of law personal private personnel the staff of an organization physic a laxative physical material, pertaining to the body physique the appearance of the body psychic a seer, of the mind plain not fancy, simple plane a flat surface, a tool, an aircraft, to render flat plaintiff the suing party plaintive mournful plait a pleat or braid, to pleat or braid plate a flat dish, a metal sheet, to coat with metal portion part of a whole potion a drink pray to beseech prey hunted creature, to hunt precede to be in front of something proceed to go forward prescribe to order, to recommend a remedy proscribe to condemn principal first in rank or authority principle fundamental truth or law prophecy a prediction prophesy to predict proposal a point or offer to be accepted or rejected proposition a point to be discussed quiet silent quit stop doing quite entirely rain precipitation reign to rule, a period of rule rein to curb, that which curbs rebound to bounce back redound to have an effect upon reek to emit strong odor wreak to inflict punishment upon respectfully politely respectively each in its given order resume to take up where left off résumé summation reverend a clergyman reverent respectful right correct, a direction, a guaranteed due rite a ceremony wright a craftsman write to commit to letters rang past tense of ring (she rang the bell) ring a bell sound, a finger ornament, a circle, to encircle, to make a bell sound ringed wearing, decorated, or formed like a ring; encircled rung a ladder step, past participle of ring (the bell was rung) wring to squeeze out wrung past tense of wring role the part acted roll a bakery good, a list, to rotate, to revolve rout to put to flight route a road, a way salary regular pay for non–manual work wages pay for manual work satire witty literary work satyr a lecherous man seasonable in keeping with the season, timely seasonal affected by the seasons, periodic sensual pertaining to grosser appetites (sex, food) sensuous pertaining to finer appetites (art, music) set to place sit to rest (as in a chair) specie coined money species type staid sedate, reserved stayed remained stair a step stare a fixed gaze, to gaze fixedly stake a post steak a cut of meat stationary immobile stationery writing material statue a sculpture stature height, status achieved statute a law steal to take without permission steel a metal stile a step style mode, fashion straight not curved, direct strait a narrow passage, restricted, tight suit clothing, a grouping of things (cards, etc.), a legal action, a romantic move, to please suite a grouping of things (musical pieces, rooms, etc.) tare a deducted weight tear to rip tasteful having good judgement tasty having good flavor taught imparted knowledge taut stretched tightly temporal mortal, not eternal temporary not permanent tern a bird turn to change direction, to revolve their possessive form of "they" there that place they're a contraction of "they are" therefor for this or for that thing therefore for this or for that reason threw hurled though notwithstanding thorough complete through in one end or side and out the other to a preposition (normally suggesting direction) too also two the number after one tortuous sinuous, winding torturous painful urban not rural urbane smooth–mannered vain useless, self–admiring vane a wind direction indicator vein a blood vessel, a body of ore venal corruptible venial excusable vice an evil practice vise a clamp waist a narrowing between wider portions waste superfluous matter, to wear away wait a delay, to delay weight heaviness waive, waiver the relinquishing of a claim or right wave an undulation, a hand sign waver to hesitate, to vacillate want a desire, to desire wont accustomed won't a contraction of "will not" war hostility between factions wore past tense of wear ware manufactured merchandise wear apparel, to have apparel on, erosion, to erode where in what place? weather climatic conditions whether pertaining to a choice who's contraction of "who is" whose possessive form of "who" worm an elongated animal warm not cold yawl a sailboat yowl to howl yoke a collar yolk an egg part yore long ago you're contraction of "you are" your possessive form of "you"