English is host to an endless list of confusing words that although eerily similar have different meanings.
Being at a loose end today, we decided to compile a list of 14 confusing pairs.
In compiling this list, we have relied heavily on the 879-page Garner’s Modern American Usage and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th edition).
Here they are:
* imprudent; impudent
imprudent = rash or indiscreet; impudent = insolently disrespectful
* emigrate; immigrate
emigrate = to migrate or exit from a country ; immigrate = to migrate or enter a country
* inapt; inept
inapt = not appropriate or not suitable; inept = clumsy
* continual; continuous
continual = intermittently, frequently recurring; continuous = unceasing
* incredible; incredulous
incredible = astounding; incredulous = disbelieving, doubting
* egoism; egotism
egoism = a doctrine that individual self-interest is the actual motive of all conscious action; egotism = exaggerated sense of self-importance
* indiscreet; indiscrete
indiscreet = lacking discretion; indiscrete = not divided into distinct or separate parts
* infest; infect
infest = to inhabit either as a parasite or in menacingly large numbers; infect = introduce a disease into an organism
* ingenious; ingenuous
ingenious = clever; ingenuous = innocent
* principal; principle
principal = main; principle = tenet
* prescribe; proscribe
prescribe = impose authoritatively; proscribe = prohibit
* complement; compliment
complement = supplement appropriately or adequately; compliment = praise
* pediatric; podiatric
pediatric = children; podiatric = feet
* prognosis; prognosticate
prognosis = forecast probable course of a disease; prognosticate = prediction or prophecy
Source: Garner’s Modern American Usage and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th edition)
Update (based on SI readers’ comments):
* brake; break (has multiple meanings but we will refer to the most common ones here)
brake = device to stop motion, to stop; break = to separate into parts, to violate, stroke of luck
* career; carrier
career = profession for which one trains, go at top speed; carrier = one that carries, bearer, container, individual or organization engaged in transporting people or goods for hire
* tortuous; torturous
tortuous = full of twists and turns; torturous = pertaining to torture
Good.. One of the useful posts
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Some more:
* tortuous, torturous
* affect, effect (and the use of effect as a verb)
* thrifty, spendthrift
* elevate, alleviate
* prodigy, prodigal (I still haven’t been able to figure out if “The Prodigal Daughter” was aptly named)
* prosecute, persecute
* inflammable, non-flammable
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Thanks.
We’ll add the above words to the list along with their meanings sometime today or tomorrow.
We’ve seen seemingly well-educated people confuse affect and effect while writing.
BTW, we’ve read Prodigal Daughter by Jeffrey Archer but can’t remember the details. All we can remember is that the book is a sequel to Kane & Abel, a fairly decent read.
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I don’t know about others, I used to confuse indigenous with ingenuous and disingenuous.. so I completely stopped using all those words.
Some people even confuse Ænima for Enema.. it is not the same thing, people.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
We’ll add disingenuous later today.
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Did you mangle the original post when updating this? hope your boss didn’t notice this horrendous mistake!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Yes, the boss noticed and docked our pay.
Thanks. Fixed now.
Will update the post again later today with more examples.
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