12 of the Most Misused English Words
A group of English experts recently did a study and came up with the 12 most misused words in the English language. How many are on YOUR list?
Peruse
- Peruse means to review something in depth, while many people think it means to skim over something quickly.
Capital vs Capitol
- Capital refers to a city or providence that holds the government officials of a country, while the specific building that those government officials meet in is called the capitol.
Irregardless
- This is actually a made up word. It is often meant to be the opposite of regardless. This word does not exist in the dictionary.
Lightening vs Lightning
- Lightening means to light up and is used as a verb, while lightning is a noun that refers to the flashes of light that occur during storms.
Lay vs Lie
- Lay means to set an object in a location, while lie means to rest on something.
Bemused
- "Bemused" and "amused" are not related as many people think. Bemused means to be puzzled at something.
Affect vs Effect
- Effect is a noun referring to the result of something, while affect is a verb referring to influencing that result.
Farther vs Further
- Farther is a distance between two objects and/or people, while further means to advance or progress.
Complement vs Compliment
- Complement can be used as a noun or verb for something that completes a whole, while a compliment is also a noun or verb used to communicate an admiration of something or someone.
Illusion vs Allusion
- Illusion is a noun that refers to a mistaken belief, while allusion is a noun that refers to a reference.
Flaunt vs Flout
- Flaunt means to show something off, while flout means to communicate a dislike for something or someone.
Hung vs Hanged
- Hung is in the past tense and refers to dangling something above the ground, while hanged is also a past tense that refers to executing someone by holding him or her above the ground at his or her neck.