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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Discreet vs Discrete Definitions ‘Discreet’ (adj) means ‘careful not to cause embarrassment or attract too much attention’. ‘Discrete’ (adj) means ‘distinct, separate, or different from other things’. What’s the difference between ‘discreet’ and ‘discrete’? As they look and sound similar, it is very easy to confuse and misspell these words. But they mean very different …
Classic vs Classical Definitions ‘Classic’ (adj) refers to something that is judged to be very typical of its kind (e.g. ‘classic example’); also outstanding (e.g. ‘a classic novel’). ‘Classical’ (adj) refers to something relating to the ancient Greek or Latin world or culture. What’s the difference between ‘classic’ and ‘classical’? These words can be easily …
Accept vs Except Definitions ‘Accept’ (verb) means ‘consent to something, or believe it to be true, fair or valid’. ‘Except’ (preposition/conjunction) means ‘not including; leaving out someone or something’. What’s the difference between ‘accept’ and ‘except’? Although they look and sound similar, these two words mean very different things. And since one is a verb …
Climactic vs Climatic Definitions ‘Climactic’ (adj) means ‘constituting the culmination or resolution to a series of events’. ‘Climatic’ (adj) means ‘relating to the climate’. What’s the difference between ‘climactic’ and ‘climatic’? With just one letter difference, it is easy to see how these two adjectives can be confused. But make no mistake: they are completely …
Proscribe vs Prescribe Definitions ‘Proscribe’ (verb) means ‘forbid or not allow something’. ‘Prescribe’ (verb) means ‘advise or order the use of something’. What’s the difference between ‘proscribe’ and ‘prescribe’? Though just one letter distinguishes one from the other, these words have entirely opposite meanings. When someone (typically a health professional) prescribes something, they want you …
