20 Commonly Misused Words That Will Make You Rethink Everything
These are literally some of the trickiest words in the english language.
Grammar can be a tricky thing. Even some of the most commonly used words get lost in translation from time to time. We've compiled some of the most frequently misused words to provide a little crash course for people who haven't sat in a classroom in a while.
Actually
People tend to use actually to stress their opinion as in "Never Been Kissed is actually the best rom-com ever made." But it should be used to express a fact that's surprising or unexpected.
Adverse
The common mix up is interchanging "adverse" and "averse." Adverse is used to describe something bad or harmful like an "adverse reaction." Without that d, the word means against.
Cliché
Cliché is often used as adjective, which is incorrect. A person, place, or thing can't be described as cliché because it's actually a noun.
Complement
Don't go fishing for complements because you'd be using the word wrong. Spelled with an e instead of an i in the middle, it means to complete or make perfect.
Decimate
You've probably heard decimate used in the context of something getting destroyed. Put that out of your mind. The true definition is to reduce something by one tenth.
Disinterested
Telling someone you're disinterested doesn't mean you don't care. In that case, you'd say uninterested. Disinterested means you don't have a stake or claim in the matter at all.
Effect
The simplest way to remember this one is that effect is a noun (ex: a special effect). Affect is the verb.
Enormity
Enormity doesn't mean huge or enormous. It means extremely evil.
Except
Except and accept are often switched up. With an ex the word means excluding.
Farther
Farther and further is tricky. Further is used to convey a degree of an action or a situation, whereas farther is used in relation to distance. You travel farther, but you have nothing further to discuss.
Fewer
This one might be the most confusing of the bunch. The difference between fewer and less is that fewer should refer to individual items (like fewer shirts in a drawer). Less is used to describe the amount or volume of something.
Hone
You've probably heard or used the expression hone in to mean getting to the point of an argument or finding a location. That's incorrect. Hone means to sharpen.
Hung
An object is hung on a wall. A person gets hanged.
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Inflammable
Inflammable doesn't mean something is not flammable. It's a synonym for flammable meaning easily set on fire.
Literally
This is a popular one. Literally should be used when the words that follow truly happened. If you literally died reading that, you would be dead.
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Nauseous
If you're experiencing nausea, you're nauseated. If you're nauseous, it means you cause nausea.
Principle
With a ple ending, it means a rule. Principal refers to someone of the highest authority in a group or an original sum of money.
Tortuous
Tortuous has nothing to do with torture. It refers to something that is extremely long and complex.
Travesty
A travesty is not a tragedy. It's a fake or poor imitation.
Verbal
Verbal is more than just referring to the spoken word. The real definition is anything to do with language in any form.
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