Ensure vs Insure Definitions ‘Ensure’ (verb) means ‘make something certain to happen’. ‘Insure’ (verb) means ‘protect something (or somebody) against risk’. What’s the difference between ‘ensure’ and ‘insure’? Not only do these words look similar, but they also sound similar. They are frequently confused in writing, including in academic texts. A tip to distinguish them …
Allude vs Elude Definitions ‘Allude’ (verb) means ‘mention someone or something indirectly’. ‘Elude’ (verb) means ‘avoid something’ or ‘escape perception, understanding or consequences’. What’s the difference between ‘allude’ and ‘elude’? Because they look and sound the same, these two verbs are easily confused. Not to mention that ‘elude’ has more than one meaning, which makes …
Consist in vs Consist of Definitions ‘Consist in’ (verb) means ‘have something as an essential part, quality or function’. ‘Consist of’ (verb) means ‘be composed or made up of’. What’s the difference between ‘consist in’ and ‘consist of’? This has to be one of the most challenging distinctions in the English language. Here the verb …
Formally vs Formerly Definitions ‘Formally’ (adv) means ‘in a serious and correct way; officially’ or ‘in terms of form or structure’. ‘Formerly’ (adv) means ‘in previous times’. What’s the difference between ‘formally’ and ‘formerly’? Although these two adverbs look and sound similar, they mean very different things. While ‘formerly’ relates to a temporal element (something …
Practice vs Practise Definitions ‘Practice’ (verb) means ‘carry out or perform an activity on a regular basis’ (US spelling). ‘Practise’ (verb) means ‘carry out or perform an activity on a regular basis’ (UK spelling). What’s the difference between ‘practice’ and ‘practise’? There is no difference in meaning between these two verbs. The only difference is …
Effectiveness vs Efficacy Definitions ‘Effectiveness’ (noun) refers to the degree to which something is successful in producing a desired result. ‘Efficacy’ (noun) refers to the ability of something to produce a desired or intended result. What’s the difference between ‘effectiveness’ and ‘efficacy’? Because they are superficially similar in meaning, these two words can be used …
Inverse vs Reverse Definitions ‘Inverse’ (adj) means ‘opposite in relation to something else’ (e.g. in position, direction, order, effect, etc). ‘Reverse’ (adj) means ‘going in or turned towards the direction opposite to something else’. What’s the difference between ‘inverse’ and ‘reverse’? Despite being very similar in meaning, these words tend to be used in different …
Possible vs Plausible Definitions ‘Possible’ (adj) means ‘able to happen’. ‘Plausible’ (adj) means ‘likely to be true’. What’s the difference between ‘possible’ and ‘plausible’? Because they sound quite similar, these are two adjectives that are easily confused. Their meanings appear similar too, though it is important to understand the subtle difference. When you refer to …
Assure vs Ensure Definitions ‘Assure’ (verb) means ‘declare something with certainty or confidence’. ‘Ensure’ (verb) means ‘make something certain to happen or exist’. What’s the difference between ‘assure’ and ‘ensure’? It is easy to see how these two words can be confused, and indeed they often are. Not only do they look and sound alike, …
Ambiguous vs Ambivalent Definitions ‘Ambiguous’ (adj) means ‘open to more than one interpretation; not entirely clear’. ‘Ambivalent’ (adj) means ‘having or showing uncertain or opposite views/attitudes about something or someone’. What’s the difference between ‘ambiguous’ and ‘ambivalent’? Because they share the same prefix (‘ambi’, meaning ‘both’ in Latin), these two words can be confused in …
