Commonly Confused Words

Commonly Confused Words

from Scott Tanner

ScottyinAZ@aol.com

adverse: unfavorable

averse: opposed

affect: to influence

effect: to cause

aggravate: to make worse

annoy: to irritate

allusion: an indirect reference

illusion: an unreal impression

anxious: apprehensive

eager: avid

complement: to make complete; something that completes.

compliment: to praise; praise

capital: the seat of government

capitol: the building in which a legislative body meets

discreet: prudent

discrete: separate

disinterested: impartial

uninterested: without interest

emigrate: to leave for another place of residence

immigrate: to come to another place of residence

elicit: to draw or bring out

illicit: illegal

denote: to mean

connote: to suggest beyond the explicit meaning

farther: more distant in space

further: an extension of time or degree

historic: an important occurrence

historical: any occurrence in the past

imply: to relay information but not explicitly

infer: to understand information that is not relayed explicitly

imminent: ready to take place

eminent: standing out

incredible: unbelievable

incredulous: skeptical

include: used when the items following are part of a whole

comprise: used when the items following are all of a whole

ingenious: clever

ingenuous: innocent

insidious: intended to trick

invidious: detrimental to reputation

literally: actually

figuratively: metaphorically

oral: spoken, as opposed to written

verbal: referring to skill with language, as opposed to other skills

prevaricate: to lie

procrastinate: to put off

pestilence: a contagious or enfectious epidemic disease

petulance: rudeness

prostrate: stretched out flat, face down

prostate: of or relating to the prostate gland

qualitative: relating to quality

quantitative: relating to number