Commonly Misused Words To Avoid In Your Essays
Even though the main argument of your essay is the crux, the language in it is integral to conveying your ideas. Whenever you misuse a word, the reader is distracted from the overall quality of your essay. Your essay should flow effortlessly. Elevated language is acceptable as long as it doesn’t overshadow the argument. Elevated language is especially distracting when it’s used awkwardly or in the wrong context. Thus, it’s worth knowing the most commonly misused words. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Tortuous
Tortuous means having many twists and turns. Torturous mean of or related to torture.
Nauseous
nauseous means causing nausea. It does not describe the feeling of nausea itself.
Granted
Granted is often mixed with the word granite, especially in conversation.
Invaluable
Invaluable does not mean devoid of value. It means highly valuable.
Disinterested
Disinterested does not mean lacking interest. It means not biased.
Mortify
Mortify does not mean to upset. Rather, it specifically means to humiliate.
Enormity
Enormity does not mean prodigiousness. Rather, it is synonymous with evil.
Than
I’m sure you already know this, but people often confuse this word with then.
Pretentious
This word means impressionistic or attempting to impress. It should not be used interchangeably with arrogant.
Invoke
This word means to cite as evidence. It should not be confused with evoke.
Alzheimer’s
If you don’t already know, this word isn’t spelt “old timers.”
Apprise
Apprise has nothing to do with the word appraisal.
Good
This word shouldn’t supplant the adverb well.
Practicable
This word means able to be put into practice, not practical.
Refute
In order to refute an argument, you have to disprove it. You can’t simply argue against it.
New Age
This isn’t a single word, but nonetheless it’s commonly misused. The term new age is meant to describe a spiritual movement that is alternative. It should not be used interchangeably with modern.
Proscribe
This word means to forbid. Not to be confused with prescribe.
Sulky
Sulky means gloomy and surly. It does not simply mean gloomy.
Prudish
Prudish means disgusted by sexuality. A prude isn’t arrogant. They’re repulsed by anything remotely sexual.
Affinity
An affinity is an attraction toward something or someone. It is not a synonym for proclivity.
Phenomena
Phenomena is a plural noun. If you’re wanting the singular form, use the word phenomenon.
Misnomer
Misnomer is not a synonym for mishap. A misnomer is specifically an error regarding the naming of something or someone.
Circumvent
circumvent does not simply mean to circle all the way around. Rather, it means to avoid by moving around.
Verbal
Verbal means in linguistic form. It is not to be used synonymously with oral. Something that is verbal isn’t necessarily oral.
Noisome
noisome means smelly. It does not mean noisy in spite of its resemblance with the word.
Ironic
Ironic means oddly contradictory. Even though the two words are antonyms, all too often it is mixed up with the word coincidental.
“Perspirating”
Perpirating is not a word. Instead, use perspiring.
Fortuitous
Fortuitous does not mean lucky. It means happening by chance.
Nonplussed
Nonplussed mean bewildered. It does not mean unimpressed
For All Intents And Purposes
Again, this isn’t a single word, but it’s often misheard. The phrase is for all intents and purposes, not for all intensive purposes.
Meretricious
This word means superficially attractive but lacking in integrity or worth. It is not to be confused with meritorious.
Fascist
Fascist means possessing autocratic and dictatorial rule.
Flout
This word is not to be confused with flaunt. It means to openly disregard.
Pertinacity
Not to be confused with perspicacity, which means shrewdness. Pertinacity means holding firmly to an ideal.
Soul
This word means spirit. It is not to be confused with sole, which means only.
Hone
Typically when someone say hone in, they mean to say home in.
Flamboyant
This word is not synonymous with feminine. It means exaggerated in manner. Many people associate it with gay men, thus, all too often it’s used interchangeably with feminine.
Fulsome
Fulsome means overly complimentary. It does not have anything to do with the word fool.
That Or Which
When this word introduces a relative clause, it always refers back to an inanimate object.
Who Or Whom
Conversely, when this word introduces a relative clause, it refers back to a person.
Abrogate
To abrogate means to repeal or to take back. Not to be confused with arrogate.
Arrogate
Arrogate means to seize or to claim.
Earnest
This word does not mean eager. It means showing great conviction.
Respite
A respite is a state of rest. It is not simply a break.
Remonstrate
Remonstrate is not synonymous with demonstrate. It means to make a forcefully reproachful protest.
Fugacious
Fugacious has nothing to do with the word fugazi. It means ephemeral or transient.
Compliment
To give a compliment is to give praise. To complement is to add to something in a way that’s suitable.
Astrology
Astrologers do study the stars just like astronomers. But astronomy is more based on empiricism.
Capricious
Capricious means both moody and unpredictable. It does not just mean unpredictable
Irregardless
Irregardless, usually when people use irregardless, they’re meaning to say regardless. Irregardless is a word, but it’s informal and should never be used in an essay.
Gerund
This is the English word for a verbal noun. It’s occasionally mixed up with the Latin grammatical term gerundive.
Conjunction
A conjunction is word that joins two independent clauses. It’s sometimes mixed up with the word contraction.
Contraction
A contraction is one word that conjoins two with an apostrophe. For example, let’s is actually let us. Let’s is a contraction.
Sodomy
Sodomy can involve both anal and oral sex. It is not strictly a word for anal intercourse.
Expenditure
An expenditure has nothing to do with the amount of physical energy you expend.
Enervating
To enervate means to drain of energy. It does not mean to energize.
