Grammar and Punctuation The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation

Confusing Words and Homonyms

Letter A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

Many words in English sound or look alike, causing confusion and not a few headaches. This section lists some of these words, and other troublemakers.


A, AN


ABACK


ABBREVIATION, ACRONYM, INITIALISM


ACCEPT, EXCEPT


ACRONYM


AD, ADD


ADAPT, ADOPT


ADVERSE, AVERSE


ADVICE, ADVISE


ADVISER, ADVISOR


AFFECT, EFFECT


AFFINITY


AGGRAVATE


AHOLD


AID, AIDE


AIL, ALE


AISLE, ISLE


ALIBI


ALL BUT ONE


ALL READY, ALREADY


ALL RIGHT


ALL-TIME RECORD


ALL TOGETHER, ALTOGETHER


ALLUDE, ELUDE, REFER


ALLUSION, ILLUSION


ALLOWED, ALOUD


ALTAR, ALTER


ALTHOUGH, THOUGH


ALUMNA, ALUMNUS; ALUMNAE, ALUMNI


AMBIGUOUS, AMBIVALENT


AMIABLE, AMICABLE


AMID, AMIDST


AMONG, BETWEEN


AMOUNT, NUMBER


a.m., p.m.


AN


AND/OR


ANECDOTE, ANTIDOTE


AN HISTORIC


ANXIOUS, EAGER


ANY MORE, ANYMORE


ANY TIME, ANYTIME


APPRAISE, APPRISE


ASCENT, ASSENT


AS REGARDS


ASSUME, PRESUME


ASSURE, ENSURE, INSURE


ATTAIN, OBTAIN


AURAL, ORAL


AVERSE


A WHILE, AWHILE


BACKWARD, BACKWARDS


BACTERIA


BAIL, BALE


BAITED BREATH, BATED BREATH


BALL, BAWL


BARBECUE


BARE, BEAR


BASED OFF (OF)


BASICALLY


BEACH, BEECH


BEAT, BEET


BECAUSE, SINCE


BEG THE QUESTION


BELL, BELLE


BEMUSE, AMUSE


BENIGHTED


BERTH, BIRTH


BESIDE, BESIDES


BETTER, BETTOR


BETWEEN


BIANNUAL, BIENNIAL, SEMIANNUAL


BITE, BYTE


BLOC, BLOCK


BLOG, POST


BLOND, BLONDE


BOAR, BOOR, BORE


BOARD, BORED


BOLDER, BOULDER


BORN, BORNE


BRAKE, BREAK


BRIDAL, BRIDLE


BRING, TAKE


BROACH, BROOCH


BURGLARY, ROBBERY


BYTE


CACHE, CACHET, CASH


CALVARY, CAVALRY


CAN, MAY


CANNON, CANON


CANNOT


CANVAS, CANVASS


CAPITAL, CAPITOL


CARAT, CARET, KARAT


CAREEN, CAREER


CAST, CASTE


CAVALRY


CEMENT, CONCRETE


CENSOR, CENSURE


CENTER AROUND


CEREAL, SERIAL


CHAISE LOUNGE


CHILDISH, CHILDLIKE


CHILE, CHILI


CHOMPING AT THE BIT


CHORAL, CORAL


CHORALE, CORRAL


CHORD, CORD


CITE, SIGHT, SITE


CLASSIC, CLASSICAL


CLICHÉ


CLICK, CLIQUE


CLIMACTIC, CLIMATIC


CLOSE PROXIMITY


COARSE, COURSE


COHORT


COIN A PHRASE


COINCIDENCE


COLLECTABLE, COLLECTIBLE


COLLIDE, CRASH


COMPARE TO, COMPARE WITH


COMPEL, IMPEL


COMPLEMENT, COMPLIMENT


COMPLETE, COMPLETELY


COMPRISE


CONCERTED


CONCRETE


CONFIDANT, CONFIDENT


CONNIVE, CONSPIRE


CONNOTE, DENOTE


CONTINUAL, CONTINUOUS


CONVINCE, PERSUADE


CORAL


CORD


CORP., CORPS


CORRAL


COUNCIL, COUNSEL


COUPLE


COUPLE OF


COURSE


CRASH


CRAVEN


CRITERIA


CUBICAL, CUBICLE


CURRENTLY


DAILY BASIS


DATA


DEFINITE, DEFINITIVE


DENOTE


DESERT, DESSERT


DESPISE


DEVICE, DEVISE


DIFFERENT FROM, DIFFERENT THAN


DILEMMA


DISBURSE, DISPERSE


DISCOMFIT, DISCOMFORT


DISCREET, DISCRETE


DISINTERESTED, UNINTERESTED


DIVE


DIVISIVE


DOCK


DREDGE, DRUDGE


DRUG (DRAGGED)


DUAL, DUEL


EAGER


EFFECT


e.g., i.e.


EKE OUT


ELICIT, ILLICIT


ELUDE


EMIGRATE, IMMIGRATE


EMINENT, IMMINENT


EMPATHY, SYMPATHY


EMULATE, IMITATE


ENERVATE


ENORMITY


ENSURE


ENTHUSE


ENTITLED, TITLED


EPITAPH, EPITHET


EPITOME


ERSTWHILE


etc., et al.


EVERY DAY, EVERYDAY


EXACERBATE, EXAGGERATE


EXACT, EXTRACT


EXALT, EXULT


EXCEPT


FACTIOUS, FRACTIOUS


FAINT, FEINT


FAIR, FARE


FARTHER, FURTHER


FAZE, PHASE


FEASIBLE, POSSIBLE


FEAT, FEET


FEWER, LESS


FIR, FUR


FIRSTLY


FLAIR, FLARE


FLAMMABLE, INFLAMMABLE


FLAUNT, FLOUT


FLEA, FLEE


FLOUNDER, FOUNDER


FLOUR, FLOWER


FOLKS


FORBID, PROHIBIT


FOREGO, FORGO


FOREWORD, FORWARD


FORMER


FORTE


FORTH, FOURTH


FORTUITOUS, FORTUNATE


FOUL, FOWL


FRACTIOUS


FREE GIFT


FULSOME


FUN


FUR


FURTHER


GAIT, GATE


GAMUT


GANTLET, GAUNTLET


GEL, JELL


GILT, GUILT


GLIB


GOOGLE


GOTTEN


GRADUATE


GRAFFITI


GRILL, GRILLE


GRISLY, GRISTLY, GRIZZLY


GUERRILLA


HAIR, HARE


HALL, HAUL


HALVE, HAVE


HANGAR, HANGER


HANGED, HUNG


HEAL, HEEL


HEALTHFUL, HEALTHY


HEAR, HERE


HARDY, HEARTY


HEROIN, HEROINE


HISTORIC, HISTORICAL


HOARD, HORDE


HOARSE, HORSE


HOLE, WHOLE


HOLY, WHOLLY


HOMAGE


HONE IN


HOT WATER HEATER


HUNDRED AND TEN PERCENT


HUNG


IDLE, IDOL, IDYLL


i.e.


ILLICIT


ILLUSION


IMITATE


IMMIGRATE


IMMINENT


IMPACT


IMPEL


IMPLY, INFER


IN, INTO


INCENTIVIZE


INCIDENCES, INCIDENTS


INCITE, INSIGHT


INCLUDE


IN CONNECTION TO, IN CONNECTION WITH


INCREDIBLE, INCREDULOUS


INFER


INFLAMMABLE


INGENIOUS, INGENUOUS


INITIALISM


IN ORDER TO


IN REGARD(S) TO, WITH REGARD(S) TO


INSURE


INTERNET


INTO


IRONY


IRREGARDLESS


IRREGULAR VERBS


IS IS


ISLE


IT'S, ITS


JELL


JIBE, JIVE


JUST


JUST DESERTS


KARAT


KINDERGARTNER


KNEW, NEW


KUDOS


LASTLY


LATTER


LAXADAISICAL


LAY, LIE


LEACH, LEECH


LEAD, LED


LEAK, LEEK


LECTERN


LEND, LOAN


LESS


LESSEN, LESSON


LET HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN …


LIABLE, LIBEL, LIKELY


LIE


LIGHTENING, LIGHTNING


LIKE


LITERALLY


LOAN, LONE


LOATH, LOATHE


LOOSE, LOSE


MAIL, MALE


MAIZE, MAZE


MANNER, MANOR


MARQUEE, MARQUIS


MARRY, MERRY


MARSHAL, MARTIAL


MASTERFUL, MASTERLY


MATERIAL, MATERIEL


MAY


MEDAL, MEDDLE, METAL, METTLE


MEDIA


MERETRICIOUS


METAL, METTLE


MIC


MINER, MINOR


MINUSCULE


MISNOMER


MORAL, MORALE


MORE IMPORTANTLY, MOST IMPORTANTLY


MORE THAN ONE


MORNING, MOURNING


MUSCLE, MUSSEL


MYRIAD


NAVAL, NAVEL


NEITHER … OR


NEW


NEW RECORD


NONPLUSSED


NO ONE


NOR


NOT JUST


NOTORIETY


NUMBER


OBTAIN


OFF OF


OFTEN


ORAL


ORDINANCE, ORDNANCE


OUT OF


OUTSIDE OF


OVER


OVERDO, OVERDUE


OVERLY


PAIL, PALE


PAIN, PANE


PALATE, PALETTE, PALLET


PARISH, PERISH


PARODY, SATIRE


PASSED, PAST


PAST HISTORY


PASTIME, PAST TIME


PEACE, PIECE


PEAK, PEEK, PIQUE


PEAL, PEEL


PEDAL, PEDDLE


PEER, PIER


PENULTIMATE


PEOPLE, PERSONS


PEOPLES'


PERCENT


PERPETRATE, PERPETUATE


PERSECUTE, PROSECUTE


PERSONS


PERSUADE


PHASE


PHENOMENON


PIECE


PIQUE


PISTIL, PISTOL


PLAIN, PLANE


PLEADED, PLED


PLUM, PLUMB


p.m.


PODIUM, LECTERN, PULPIT


POINT IN TIME


POLE, POLL


POOR, PORE, POUR


POST


PRAY, PREY


PRECIPITATE, PRECIPITOUS


PREDOMINATELY


PREMIER, PREMIERE


PRESENTLY


PRESUME


PRINCIPAL, PRINCIPLE


PROFIT, PROPHET


PROHIBIT


PRONE, SUPINE


PROPHECY, PROPHESIZE, PROPHESY


PROSECUTE


PURPOSELY, PURPOSEFULLY


QUOTATION, QUOTE


RACK, WRACK


RAISE, RAZE


RAP, WRAP


REAL, REEL


REASON BEING IS


REASON IS BECAUSE


REEK, WREAK


REFER


REGARDLESS


REGRETFULLY, REGRETTABLY


REIGN, REIN


RELISH IN


RENOWN


REST, WREST


RESTAURATEUR


RETCH, WRETCH


RETICENT


REVEREND


REVIEW, REVUE


RIFF, RIFT


RIGHT, RITE, WRITE


RING, WRING


ROAD, RODE, ROWED


ROAD TO HOE, ROW TO HOE


ROBBERY


ROLE, ROLL


RYE, WRY


SATIRE


SAVER, SAVOR


SAY NO, SAY YES


SCENT, SENT


SCHISM


SECONDLY, THIRDLY, FOURTHLY


SEMIANNUAL


SENSUAL, SENSUOUS


SERF, SURF


SERIAL


SET, SIT


SEW, SO, SOW


SHEAR, SHEER


[sic]


SIERRA


SIGHT


SIMPLISTIC


SINCE


SITE


SLASH


SLEIGHT, SLIGHT


SLIPSHOD EXTENSION


SNUCK


SO


SOAR, SORE


SOLE, SOUL


SOME, SUM


SON, SUN


SOW


STAID, STAYED


STAIR, STARE


STAKE, STEAK


STATIONARY, STATIONERY


STEAL, STEEL


STEP, STEPPE


STOMPING GROUNDS


STRAIGHT, STRAIT


STRATEGY, STRATAGEM


SUM


SUN


SUNDAE, SUNDAY


SUPINE


SUPPOSE TO


SURF


SYMPATHY


TACK, TACT


TAIL, TALE


TAKE


TAKEN ABACK, TAKEN BACK


TAUGHT, TAUT


TEAM, TEEM


TEMBLOR


TENANT, TENET


THANK-YOU


THAN, THEN


THAT


THEIR, THERE, THEY'RE


THOSE KIND OF


TILL, 'TIL


TITLED


TO NOT


TO, TOO, TWO


TORT, TORTE


TORTUOUS, TORTUROUS


TOTALLY


TOWARD, TOWARDS


TRANSPIRE


TREMBLOR


TROOP, TROUPE


TRULY


TURBID, TURGID


UNINTERESTED


UNIQUE


UTILIZE


VAIN, VANE, VEIN


VENAL, VENIAL


VERSES, VERSUS


VERY


VIABLE


VIAL, VILE


VICE, VISE


VIRTUALLY


WAIST, WASTE


WAIT, WEIGHT


WAIVER, WAVER


WARN, WORN


WARRANTEE, WARRANTY


WARY, WEARY


WAY, WEIGH


WAYS TO GO


WEAK, WEEK


WEATHER, WHETHER


WHETHER OR NOT


WHICH


WHILE, WILE


WHO, WHICH, THAT


WHOLE


WHOLLY


WHO'S, WHOSE


WITH REGARD(S) TO


WON'T, WONT


WORN


WRACK


WRAP


WREAK


WREAK (WRECK) HAVOC


WREST


WRETCH


WRING


WRITE


WRY


YOKE, YOLK


YOU'RE, YOUR

Confusing Words and Homonyms

Letter A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z