It's easy to confuse words that are similar in sound, spelling, or meaning. But with a bit of review it's also easy to clear up such confusions.
On these pages you'll find simple definitions of more than 400 commonly confused words. Follow the links for examples, practice exercises, and usage notes in our expanded Glossary of Usage: Commonly Confused Words.
- Commonly Confused Words: A (below)
- Commonly Confused Words: B-E
- Commonly Confused Words: F-I
- Commonly Confused Words: L-O
- Commonly Confused Words: P-S
- Commonly Confused Words: T-Z
Update: Visit our Big Quiz on Commonly Confused Words.
A
- A, An, & And
Use the indefinite articles a and an before nouns: a before a noun that begins with a consonant sound (a doctor, a horse, a university); an before a noun that begins with a vowel sound (an envelope, an hour, an umbrella). And is a coordinating conjunction: use it to join words, phrases, and clauses. - Accept, Except, & Expect
Accept is a verb that means to take in. The preposition except means other than. The verb expect means to depend on or await. - Adapt & Adopt
The verb adapt means to take something and make it suitable for a specific use or situation. The verb adopt means to take something and make it one's own as is. - Adverse & Averse
The adjective adverse means antagonistic, opposing, harmful, or unfavorable; often it refers to things. The adjective averse means strongly disinclined; often it refers to people. - Advice & Advise
The noun advice means guidance. The verb advise means to recommend or counsel. - Affect & Effect
Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence. Effect is usually a noun meaning result. When used as a verb, effect means to cause. - Aggravate & Irritate
The verb aggravate means to make worse and, according to some style guides, should not be confused with the verb irritate, which means to annoy. But see the usage notes. - Aid and Aide
The verb aid means to assist: to provide what is needed to achieve a goal. The noun aid refers to a person or thing that provides assistance. An aide (from aide-de-camp) is a person who acts as an assistant. - All Ready & Already
The phrase all ready means completely prepared. Already is an adverb meaning previously or by this time. - All Together & Altogether
The phrase all together refers to people or things gathered in one place. The adverb altogether means entirely or wholly. - Allude & Elude
To allude to something means to make an indirect reference. (Don't use allude as a synonym for name.) To elude means to evade or to escape understanding or attention. - Allusion & Illusion
The noun allusion means an indirect reference to a person, event, or thing. Illusion is a noun that means false impression. - Allusive & Elusive
Something that is allusive contains (or is characterized by) indirect references. Someone or something that is elusive is hard to describe or skillful at avoiding capture. - A Lot (Much, Many)
Spell a lot as two words, not one. In formal writing (such as essays and exams), avoid a lot in favor of much or many. - Altar & Alter
The noun altar refers to the table in churches where religious ceremonies are carried out. The verb alter means to change, modify, or adjust. - Ambiguous & Ambivalent
Ambiguous means doubtful or unclear, open to more than one interpretation. Ambivalent means holding opposing attitudes or feelings toward a person, object, or idea. - Amoral & Immoral
The adjective amoral means lying outside the moral order or acting without regard for any particular code of morality. The adjective immoral means not moral--that is, violating traditionally held moral principles. - Amount & Number
Use amount to refer to a quantity. Use number to refer to people or things that can be counted. - Anxious & Eager
Although anxious has been used as a synonym for eager since the 18th century, many usage guides insist that anxious should be used only when its subject is worried or uneasy about the anticipated event. - Anyone & Any One
The indefinite pronoun anyone refers to people but not to particular individuals. Any one is an adjective phrase that refers to specific but unidentified things or individuals. (A similar distinction applies to anybody and any body, nobody and no body.) - Appraise & Apprise
The verb appraise means to evaluate or set a price on something. To apprise is to inform or notify someone. - Are & Our
The verb are is a present tense form of the verb to be. The adjective our is the possessive form of we. - Assure, Ensure, & Insure The verbs assure, ensure, and insure all mean to make certain or secure. According to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, "insure sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand, and assure distinctively implies the removal of doubt and suspense from a person's mind." In addition, insure means to protect against financial loss, and assure, which is almost always used with reference to people, generally means to promise. For some finer distinctions (and disagreements), see the usage notes.
- Aural & Oral
The adjective aural refers to sounds perceived by the ear. The adjective oral relates to the mouth: spoken rather than written.
