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 …
Relation vs Relationship Definitions ‘Relation’ (noun) refers to the way in which two or more people, organizations, countries, etc, are connected. ‘Relationship’ (noun) refers to the way in which two or more things or factors are connected or influencing each other. What’s the difference between ‘relation’ and ‘relationship’? These two words are very similar in …
Precede vs Proceed Definitions ‘Precede’ (verb) means ‘come before something’ (as in a timescale). ‘Proceed’ (verb) means ‘move forward with a course of action’. What’s the difference between ‘precede’ and ‘proceed’? Although they look and sound similar, they have very distinct meanings. A helpful tip is to remember that the meaning of ‘precede’ relates to …
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 …
