As we move into the third decade of the 21st century, we are starting to see an increasing number of terms and acronyms come into play in business and industry. They may be confusing and often contradict each other, but understanding them is important if you want to be successful in your career.
Now for some examples:
Some of the most commonly confusing words are the following:
Aloud ≠ Allowed
Aloud = Out loud.
Allowed = Permitted.
Elicit ≠ Illicit
Illicit= Unlawful and against regulations
Elicit = To evoke and create a response
Ensure ≠ Insure
Ensure = Make sure = Guarantee
Insure = Having insurance in case of damage = Protect and secure someone or something
Accept ≠ Except
Accept = To agree on something
Except = To rule out something or someone from your available choices = Not including
Course ≠ Coarse
Course = Way = Path = School Curriculum
Coarse = Crude = Rough
Hear ≠ Hear
Hear = Listen attentively = Perceive
Here = In this place
Currant ≠ Current
Currant = Dried grape
Current = Occurring now = Happening now
Climatic ≠ Climactic
Climatic = Related to the situation of the climate
Climactic = Causing the climax in the narrative
Loathe ≠ Loath
Loathe = Despise or hate someone or something
Loath = Fluctuating = Reluctant
Aural ≠ Oral
Aural = Related to the sense of hearing – ears
Oral = Related to the spoken words – mouth
Canvas ≠ Canvass
Canvas = Strong unbleached cloth
Canvass = Seeking votes for a campaign = Ascertain opinions on a certain issue
Tortuous ≠ Torturous
Tortuous = Complex and Lengthy & Full of twists
Torturous = Causing extreme excruciating pain
Palate ≠ Palette
Palate = Roof of the mouth
Palette = Color mixing board
Adverse ≠ Averse
Adverse = Harmful = Preventing success
Averse = Opposition and disliking of something
Allusion ≠ Illusion
Allusion = An artistic device to reference something = To mind readers of something implicitly
Illusion = Deceptive appearance or impression
Story ≠ Storey
Story = A tale = A narrative = An account of a series of events
Storey = A part of building representing all the apartments in the same level = Level of a building
Pole ≠ Poll
Pole = A cylindrical object
Poll = The process of voting for an election
Ate ≠ Eight
Ate = Past of eat = to consume food
Eight = The number
Fourth ≠ Forth
Fourth = Comes past the third position
Forth = Forward
Principle ≠ Principal
Principle = Rule
Principal = Head of an institution, usually educational
Witch ≠ Which
Witch = Sorceress
Which = What one of the choices?
Whether ≠ Weather
Whether = If
Weather = Atmospheric conditions
Plain ≠ Plane
Plain = Easy = Smooth
Plane = Transportation vehicle
Adopt ≠ Adapt
Adopt = Choose to take up and believe in something or legally take a child and bring it up
Adapt = Get used to something or someone
Among ≠ Amongst
Among = used between more than two
Amongst = used between two things or people
Wonder ≠ Wander
Wonder = Reflect on a question = To be curious about an issue
Wander = Roam around = Walk aimlessly
Worse ≠ Worst
Worse = Comparative form of bad
Worst = Superlative form of bad
Ms. ≠ Mrs. ≠ Miss
Ms = Neutral regardless of the marital status
Mrs = Married woman
Miss = Unmarried woman
Infer ≠ Imply
Infer = To come up with unuttered conclusions based on information provided
Imply = To utter a conclusion implicitly
Fiance ≠ Fiancee
Fiance = Male is engaged to be married
Fiancee = Female is engaged to be married
Jail ≠ Prison
Jail = Short-term detainment center before sentencing
Prison = Long-term holding and containment center after sentencing
University ≠ College
University = Larger educational institutes that grant different levels of study, Ba, Ma, BSc, MSc, PhD
College = Simple educational structure without divisions within its study program
Macro ≠ Micro
Macro = On a very large scale
Micro = Very small = On a very small scale
Last ≠ Latest
Last = Final without any more issues after it
Latest = The final publication yet to be released = There will be other publications in the future
Guarantee ≠ Warranty
Guarantee = A promise = An oral agreement with no bond
Warranty = A written bond to commit to something, usually for the safety and functionality of products
Break ≠ Brake
Break = Split
Brake = Stopping device
Capital ≠ Capitol
Capital = City or Money
Capitol = Building for the legislative authority
Farther ≠ Further
Farther = Physical distance
Further = Abstract distance
Everyday ≠ Every day
Everyday = An adjective describing a noun
Every day = An NP (Noun phrase) describing an event happening each single day
Stationary ≠ Stationery
Stationary = Immobile = Fixed
Stationery = Writing and printing supplies
Desert ≠ Dessert
Desert = Arid land
Dessert = Sweet course eaten at the end of the meal
Advice ≠ Advise
Advice = Noun meaning helpful words
Advise = Verb form of the previous word
Breath ≠ Breathe
Breath = Noun meaning to inhale aire
Breathe = Verb form of the previous word
Insight ≠ Incite
Insight = A deep understanding of something or someone
Incite = To cause a problem or stir up a controversial issue = Cause unlawful or unusual behavior
The quickness of thinking has to be the decisive factor in differentiating what each person says. However, having a look beforehand at a multitude of confusing words will definitely help in the process of overcoming what possible tricky words might mean! Even though you may never be completely familiar with all the confusing words, but knowing some of them will at least teach you the pattern or how you can possibly deduce and be able to infer from context the required meaning quickly Youtube Translate!
In short, there are many instances when words sound the same or are identical which causes some embarrassment if we fail to recognize the correct meaning. The target is to introduce as many as possible to you so you can be prepared and on guard when it happens. Good Luck to you and share with us any other tricky confusing words you know!