What are some of the words that you often confuse with one another?
Breath and breathe?
Lose and loose?
Enquire and inquire?
You see, in the English language, there are some words that attract special attention.
That’s because these words are so often confused with others that careful readers are likely to note when you correctly—or incorrectly—distinguish them.
For example: flaunt and flout.
When you use them correctly, those who think the difference matters are likely to note that at least, you know flaunt means “to display conspicuously” and flout means “to scorn a rule or standard.”
Thus, if you choose to scorn the rule about flaunt and flout, you would NOT flout your flaunting it, but flaunt your flouting it.
Here are some others, as specified in the book, “Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace” by authors Joseph Bizup and Joseph M. Williams:
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Aggravate means “to make worse,” not “to annoy.” You can aggravate an injury but not a person.
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Anticipate means “to prepare for a contingency,” not “just expect.” You anticipate a question when you prepare its answer before it’s asked; if you know it’s coming but don’t prepare, you only expect it.
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Anxious means “uneasy,” not “eager.” You’re eager to leave if you’re happy to go. You’re anxious about leaving if it makes you nervous.
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Blackmail means “to extort by threatening to reveal damaging information.” It does not simply mean “to coerce.” One country cannot blackmail another with nuclear weapons when it only threatens to use them.
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Cohort means “a group who attends to someone,” not a single accompanying person. When Prince William married Kate Middleton, she became his “consort.” His hangers-on are still his cohort.
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Comprise means “to include all parts in a single unit.” It is not synonymous with constitute. The alphabet is not comprised by its letters; it comprises them. Letters “constitute” the alphabet, which is thus constituted by them.
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Continuous means “without interruption.” It is not synonymous with “continual,” which means an activity continued through time, with interruptions. If you continuously interrupt someone, that person will never say a word because your interruption will never stop. If you continually interrupt, you let the other person finish a sentence from time to time.
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Disinterested means “neutral,” not “uninterested.” A judge should be disinterested in the outcome of a case, but not uninterested in it.
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Enormity means “hugely bad,” not “enormous.” In private, a belch might be enormous, but at a state funeral, it would also be an enormity.
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Fortuitous means “by chance,” not “fortunate.” You are fortunate when you fortuitously pick the right number in the lottery.
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Fulsome means “sickeningly excessive,” not “much.” We all enjoy praise, except when it becomes fulsome.
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Notorious means “known for bad behavior.” It does not mean “famous.” Frank Sinatra was a famous singer but a notorious bully.
See?
These are just some of the many words that are often confused with one another in the English language. We hope that by tackling them in today’s article, we’ll be able to help you get better at your craft and diction.
So, take note of these word differences!
Besides, it takes only a few minutes to learn to use these words in ways that testify to your precision. This may be worth doing, especially if you also think their distinctions are worth preserving.
Have an awesome Wednesday!
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Wednesdays: Write with the Pen of the Masters”
Who doesn’t find content writing to be a skill that requires a lot of practice and effort?
In fact, many people may even find copywriting very intimidating.
However, you can be a good writer as long as you have the right tools. You won’t always get things right the first time, but with enough time and practice, you’ll get the hang of it!
When you write copy for any brand or for your company, your aim is to make an impact and…
… to get people to remember.
Getting people to remember means getting consumers to buy your product or avail of your service.
… and when you get your content to deliver the results you want, THAT is great copy!
Every Wednesday, we publish content based on tips and insights from the masters of content writing, copywriting, and storytelling.
Become more familiar with ways to write great copy that helps you gain ROI from your efforts, drive profitability, and achieve your business goals.
Learn time-tested tactics that better capture the attention of your target audience, and maximize the benefits of great copywriting.
Hope you find this week’s insights interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Wednesday’s “Write with the Pen of the Masters!”
Cheers,
Dyane Diasanta
Senior Content Writer
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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