Assume vs Presume Definitions ‘Assume’ (verb) means ‘take something as true in the absence of evidence’. ‘Presume’ (verb) means ‘take something as true, with some degree of evidence’. What’s the difference between ‘assume’ and ‘presume’? At first sight, both words have the same broad meaning. So it’s easy to think they can be used interchangeably, …
Lead vs Led Definitions ‘Lead’ (verb) means ‘guide or conduct’. ’Lead’ (noun) refers to a type of metal. ‘Led’ is the past tense/participle of the verb ‘lead’. What’s the difference between ‘lead’ and ‘led’? The difference between the two is that ‘led’ is the past tense and past participle of the verb ‘lead’. When the …
Moral vs Morale Definitions ‘Moral’ (noun) refers to the lesson or message that can be learned from something. ‘Morale’ (noun) refers to the emotional or psychological state of mind of a person or group. What’s the difference between ‘moral’ and ‘morale’? As they differ by just one letter, it can be easy to confuse these …
Rational vs Rationale Definitions ‘Rational’ (adj) means ‘logical or sensible’. ‘Rationale’ (noun) refers to a set of reasons that support a claim; the logic behind something. What’s the difference between ‘rational’ and ‘rationale’? With just one letter difference, it is easy to confuse these two words. Their meanings have a common theme of ‘logic’ as …
Elicit vs Illicit Definitions ‘Elicit’ (verb) means ‘to cause or provoke a response or outcome’. ‘Illicit’ (adj) refers to something illegal or not permitted. What’s the difference between ‘elicit’ and ‘illicit’? Because they look and sound similar, these two words are easily confused. However they are very different. First, they are not semantically related (as …
Explicit vs Implicit Definitions ‘Explicit’ (adj) describes something that is very clear and without ambiguity. ‘Implicit’ (adj) describes something that is vague and not directly expressed. What’s the difference between ‘explicit’ and ‘implicit’? Despite having similar forms (only the prefix differs), these two words have completely opposite meanings. This makes it all the more important …
Significant vs Important Definitions ‘Significant’ (adj) means ‘sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention; noteworthy’. ‘Important’ (adj) means ‘of great significance or value; having great effect or influence’. What’s the difference between ‘significant’ and ‘important’? These two words have very similar meanings, but should be used carefully in academic writing. While ‘important’ can …
Affect vs Effect Definitions ‘Affect’ (verb) means ‘have an effect on, or make a difference to something’. ‘Effect’ (verb) means ‘cause something to happen’. What’s the difference between ‘affect’ and ‘effect’? ‘Affect’ and ‘effect’ are very commonly misused in academic texts due to their similar spellings, but they have different meanings: While ‘affect’ refers to …
Number vs Amount Definitions ‘Number’ (noun) refers to a value representing a particular quantity of something. ‘Amount’ (noun) refers to the quantity, size, or extent of something. What’s the difference between ‘number’ and ‘amount’? These two words have meanings that are essentially the same: referring to the quantity of something. What distinguishes them is what …
Farther vs Further Definitions ‘Farther’ (adv) means ‘to a greater distance from something’. ‘Further’ (adv) means ‘to a greater degree, extent, or distance; to a more advanced level’. ‘Further’ (adj) means ‘additional’. What’s the difference between ‘farther’ and ‘further’? These two are some of the most confusing words in English, and it’s easy to see …
