Glossary of Usage Index of Commonly Confused Words

Advice or advise? Farther or further? Principal or principle? Its easy to confuse words that are similar in sound, spelling, or meaning. But with a bit of review its also easy to clear up such confusions. In our Glossary of Usage youll find more than 300 sets of commonly confused words —  with links to definitions, examples, usage notes, and practice exercises that should help you keep these words straight. You can test your understanding of these words at our Review Quiz: Commonly Confused Words. A A, An, AndAbstruse and ObtuseAccept, Except, and ExpectAccidental and IncidentalAd and AddAdapt and AdoptAdverse and AverseAdvice and AdviseAffect and EffectAfterward(s) and AfterwordAggravate and IrritateAid and AideAir, Ere, and HeirAisle, Ill, and IsleAlley and AllyAllot, A Lot, and AlotAll Ready and AlreadyAll Together and AltogetherAllude and EludeAllusion and IllusionAllusive and ElusiveAltar and AlterAlternate and AlternativeAmbiguous and AmbivalentAmend and EmendAmiable and AmicableAmong and BetweenAmoral and ImmoralAmount and NumberAmuse and BemuseAnecdote and AntidoteAngel and AngleAnonymous and UnanimousAnxious and EagerAnyone and Any OneAppraise and AppriseArdent and ArduousAre and OurAscent and AssentAscribe and SubscribeAssumption and PresumptionAssure, Ensure, and InsureAte and EightAttain and ObtainAural and OralAvocation and VocationAwhile and A While B Bail and BaleBaited and BatedBand and BannedBare and BearBase and BassBathos and PathosBeach and BeechBeat and BeetBerth and BirthBeside and BesidesBloc and BlockBoar, Boor, and BoreBoard and BoredBolder and BoulderBorn and BorneBrake and BreakBread, Bred, and BreedBreakdown and Break DownBreath and BreatheBridal and BridleBring and TakeBroach and BroochBuy, By, and Bye C Callous and CallusCalvary and CavalryCannon and CanonCanvas and CanvassCapital and CapitolCarat, Caret, and CarrotCease, Seize, and SiegeCeiling and SealingCel, Cell, and SellCensor, Censure, and SensorCent, Scent, and SentCereal and SerialChafe and ChaffChaotic and InchoateChews and ChooseChildish and ChildlikeChoose, Chose, and ChosenChord and CordCite and SiteClause and ClawsCleanup and Clean UpClick and CliqueClimactic and ClimaticClose, Clothes, and ClothsCoarse and CourseCollaborate and CorroborateCompile and ComposeComplement and ComplimentComplementary and ComplimentaryComprehensible and ComprehensiveCompulsion and CompunctionConfidant and ConfidentConnotation and DenotationConnote and DenoteConscience and ConsciousConsequently and SubsequentlyContemptible and ContemptuousContinual and ContinuousCouncil and CounselCredible, Creditable, and CredulousCriterion and CriteriaCue and Queue D Dam and DamnDays and DazeDazed and DazzledDear and DeerDefective and DeficientDefinite and DefinitiveDefuse and DiffuseDemur and DemureDependant and DependentDeprecate and DepreciateDesert and DessertDevice and DeviseDew, Do, and DueDiagnosis and PrognosisDie and DyeDiner and DinnerDisassemble and DissembleDiscover and InventDiscreet and DiscreteDisinterested and UninterestedDistill and InstillDistinct, Distinctive, and DistinguishedDual and Duel E Earthly and EarthyEconomic and EconomicalE.g. and I.e.Elicit and IllicitEmigrate and ImmigrateEminent and ImminentEmit and OmitEmpathy and SympathyEnergize and EnervateEnormity and EnormousnessEnvelop and EnvelopeEpigram, Epigraph, and EpitaphEquivocate, Prevaricate, and ProcrastinateEtc. and Et al.Eventually and UltimatelyEveryday and Every DayEveryone and Every OneEvoke and InvokeExacerbate, Exaggerate, and ExasperateExhort and ExtortExplicit and Implicit F Faint and FeintFair and FareFarrago and FiascoFarther and FurtherFaze and PhaseFeat and FeetFew (Fewer) and Little (Less)Finally and FinelyFind and FinedFir and FurFlair and FlareFlammable, Inflammable, and NonflammableFlaunt and FloutFlea and FleeFlesh Out and Flush OutFlew, Flu, and FlueFlounder and FounderFlour and FlowerForbear and ForebearForceful and ForcibleForeword and ForwardFor, Fore, and FourFormally and FormerlyForth and FourthFortunate and FortuitousFull and Fulsome G Garner and GarnishGibe, Jibe, and JiveGood and WellGorilla and GuerrillaGourmand and GourmetGrate and GreatGrateful and GratifiedGrisly and GrizzlyGroan and GrownGuessed and Guest H Hall and HaulHangar and HangerHanged and HungHardy and HeartyHave and OfHay and HeyHear and HereHeard and HerdHeroin and HeroineHigher and HireHistoric and HistoricalHoard and HordeHoarse and HorseHole and WholeHome and HoneHoping and HoppingHour and OurHuman and HumaneHurdle, Hurl, and Hurtle I I and MeIdle and IdolImaginary and ImaginativeImmunity and ImpunityImply and InferIn and IntoIncidence and IncidentsIncite and InsightIncredible and IncredulousIndiscreet and IndiscreteInfect and InfestIngenious and IngenuousInhuman and InhumaneInsidious and InvidiousIntense and IntentInterment and InternmentInveigh and InveigleIrrelevant and IrreverentIts and Its J Jam and JambJudicial and Judicious K Know and No L Last and LatterLater and LatterLay and LieLeach and LeechLead and LedLeave and LetLend and LoanLessen and LessonLets and LetsLiable and LibelLightening and LightningLimp and LimpidLiterally and FigurativelyLoan and LoneLoath and LoatheLoose and LoseLuxuriant and Luxurious M Mail and MaleMall and MaulManner and ManorMantel and MantleMany and MuchMarital and MartialMaterial and MaterielMaybe and May BeMeat, Meet, and MeteMedal, Meddle, Metal, and MettleMedia, Medium, and MediumsMeretricious and MeritoriousMilitate and MitigateMiner and MinorMissed and MistMomentary and MomentousMoot and MuteMoral and Morale N Naval and NavelNobody, None, and No OneNoisome and NoisyNutritional and Nutritious O Obsolescent and ObsoleteOfficial and OfficiousOral and VerbalOrdinance and Ordnance P Pail and PalePain and PanePair, Pare, and PearPalatable and PalpablePalate, Palette, and PalletPassed and PastPatience and PatientsPeace and PiecePeak, Peek, and PiquePeal and PeelPedal and PeddlePenultimate and UltimatePerpetrate and PerpetuatePerquisite and PrerequisitePersecute and ProsecutePersonal and PersonnelPerspective and ProspectivePerverse and PervertedPhenomenon and PhenomenaPiteous, Pitiable, and PitifulPlain and PlanePole and PollPoor, Pore, and PourPortentous and PretentiousPray and PreyPrecede and ProceedPrecedence, Precedent, and PresidentsPrecipitate and PrecipitousPremier and PremierePrescribe and ProscribePrincipal and PrincipleProdigy and Protà ©gà ©Profit and ProphetProphecy and ProphesyProstate and ProstratePurposefully and Purposely Q Quell and QuenchQuiet, Quit, and QuiteQuotation and Quote R Rack and WrackRain, Reign, and ReinRaise, Raze, and RiseRapped, Rapt, and WrappedRational, Rationale, and RationalizeRavage and RavishReal and ReelRecourse, Resort, and ResourceReek, Wreak, and WreckRegime, Regimen, and RegimentRegretful and RegrettableReluctant and ReticentRespectfully and RespectivelyRestive and RestlessReview and RevueRiffle and RifleRight, Rite, Wright, and WriteRing and WringRisky and Risquà ©Role and RollRoot and Route S Sail and SaleScene and SeenSeam and SeemSeasonable and SeasonalSensible and SensitiveSensual and SensuousServe and ServiceSet and SitShall and WillShear and SheerShould and WouldShudder and ShutterSic and SickSimple and SimplisticSkulk and SulkSoar and SoreSole and SoulSometime, Some time, and SometimesStair and StareStake and SteakStanch and StaunchStationary and StationeryStatue and StatuteSteal and SteelStraight and StraitSuit, Suite, and SweetSupersede and Surpass T Tack and TactTail and TaleTasteful and TastyTaught and TautTeam and TeemTemerity and TimidityThan and ThenTheir, There, and TheyreThrew, Through, and ThruThroes and ThrowsTide and TiedTo, Too, and TwoToe and TowTorpid and TorridTortuous and TorturousToward and TowardsTrack and TractTranslucent and TransparentTroop and TroupeTrustee and TrustyTurbid, Turbulent, and Turgid U Urban and UrbaneUse and UtilizeUsed and Used to V Vain, Vane, and VeinVale and VeilVary and VeryVenal and VenialVeracious, Vociferous, and VoraciousVice and Vise W Wade and WeighedWaist and WasteWait and WeightWaive and WaveWaiver and WaverWare, Wear, and WhereWary and WearyWay and WeighWeak and WeekWeather and WhetherWere, Were, and WhereWet and WhetWhine and WineWho, Which, and ThatWho and WhomWhoever and WhomeverWhose and Whos Y Yoke and YolkYoung and YouthfulYour and Youre Review:Test your understanding of these words at our Review Quiz: Commonly Confused Words.