What Are the Most Confusing Words in English? Huge List of Confusing Words in English

What are the most confusing words in English? what are commonly confused words with meaning? What are the most confusing words in English? list of confusing words in English pdf

In general, the English language includes many confusing words that sound alike but are spelled differently; and because vocabulary is basic and an essential part of writing, speaking, and reading; it is quite important to recognize the most commonly confused and misused words in English. it can be very tricky for language learners to depict the difference between these similar words; however, it is primordial to be familiar with the most confusing words in English.

This lengthy list of the top most confusing words pairs, organized in alphabetical order with simple definitions, will hopefully help you begin to recognize the specific differences between different pairs of words.

Commonly Misspelled Words

what are commonly confused words with meaning

What Are the Most Confusing Words in English ? List of Confusing Words in English Pdf

Accept	Agree to receive or take what is offered
Except	Not included

Access	Entryway, way in.
Excess	Portion that is more than required

Adapt	Change or alter according to conditions
Adopt	Legally take another’s child as your own.

Advice	Noun. Guidance offered to an inexperienced person.
Advise	Verb. Action of giving advice.

Affect	Make a difference to something
Effect	Result of something

Aid	Assistance or help.
Aide	Person who assists

A Lot	A large number
Allot	Assign to, give out

Already	Before the time expected e.g. “You are done already? That was fast”
All Ready	Fully prepared

Allusion	Hint at something
Illusion	“seeing” something that is not there

Amoral	Having no morals
Immoral	Doing something that society does not consider to be moral

Ante	Before
Anti	Against

Assent	Approval
Ascent	Going up, commonly used in mountain climbing

Aural	To do with the ear or hearing
Oral	To do with speaking or the mouth

Biannual	Twice a year
Biennial	Every second year

Board	Flat piece of wood used in building
Bored	Made a hole in something with a drill

Brake	To stop a car using mechanical means
Break	Do something to stop a thing from operating or being whole. e.g. “Break a cup”

Breach	Make a gap or hole in something. e.g. “the dam was breached and the town was flooded”
Breech	1. Part of a gun or rifle 2. type of birth where feet come first

Bridal	To do with a bride or woman getting married
Bridle	Leather harness on a horse’s head

Canvas	Type of material
Canvass	To go to the people looking for support in an election

Capital	1. Main city in the country 2. money owned by a business
Capitol	The building in Washington D.C. in which the American government meet

What Are the Most Confusing Words in English — list of confusing words in english pdf

Carat	The unit of weight of gems and precious stones
Caret	A line on a page showing where a missing word should go.
Carrot	A vegetable

Chord	A combination of musical notes
Cord	A length of string or rope

Complement	Something that looks good with something else e.g. “that hat complements your coat”
Compliment	An expression of praise

Confidant	Someone you tell your secrets to
Confident	Have faith in something. e.g. “I’m confident I’ll ass the exam”

Council	A group who take decisions on the running of something, usually a town or village
Counsel	Advice, especially by a professional.

Coarse	Rough
Course	Direction as in the aeroplane is on course

Curb	To stop or restrain an activity
Kerb	The joint between the road and the footpath

Currant	Dried grapes used in cooking
Current	Up to date

Demur	Raise doubts or objections
Demure	Modest, shy

Descent	Going downwards, descent of the hill
Decent	Up to standard
Dissent	Raise objections

Desert	Dry land where very little grows
Dessert	Part of a meal

Device	Object used for a particular purpose
Devise	Think of a plan

Die	Expire, lose life
Dye	Change colour

Draft	A written report that needs more work
Draught	Blast of cold wind in a building

Elicit	To encourage a reply or response
Illicit	Against the law

Eminent	Respected
Imminent	Very close to happening

Envelop	To wrap around
Envelope	Paper pocket for putting letters for mailing

Especially	Very much, a great deal
Specially	Something different from the normal

Faze	Disturb the composure
Phase	A period or stage in a process

Flammable	Easily set on fire
Inflammable	Easily set on fire (yes they mean the same thing)

Formally	According to the rules of convention or etiquette
Formerly	In the past

Forth	Forwards or onwards
Fourth	4^th , of the number 4 in a line

Forward	Onward, in the direction you are facing
Foreword	An introduction to a book

Hangar	Shed for storing aircraft
Hanger	An item for hanging clothes in a wardrobe

Hoard	A collection of money or other valuables
Horde	Group of people usually not behaving very well

Hole	Puncture or opening.
Whole	Complete

Its	Used to show possession e.g. “its coat”
It’s	Contraction for it is or it has

Know	Have knowledge or understanding
No	Opposite of yes

Lead	Verb Make one or more follow you.
Lead	Noun. A Metal. Pronounced Led
Led	Past tense of Lead

Licence	Noun. A permit to do or own something
License	Verb. To authorise or to grant a licence for something

Loath	Unwilling
Loathe	Hatred

Loose	Not tight or tied
Lose	Verb Past Tense of Lost. Unable to find or no longer have

Medal	Badge or award worn on chest or around neck.
Meddle	Verb To interfere, to intrude in someone’s business.

Meter	A machine that measures and records amount or rate of flow
Metre	100 centimetres

Naval	To do with the navy.
Navel	The hole in your belly caused by the cutting of your umbilical cord

Omit	Left out
Emit	Let go or discharge especially a gas or sound

Palate	The roof of your mouth
Palette	A thin board on which an artist mixes his paints
Pallet	A wooden or plastic stand on which goods are stacked for transportation

Patients	Sick or unwell people
Patience	Ability to tolerate delay or trouble without getting upset

Peace	Tranquillity
Piece	Portion or section as in a piece of bread

Peak	Top of a mountain, especially pointed top
Peek	To spy. To have a quick look
Pique	1. Stimulate an interest. 2. Feel hurt and resentful

Pedal	Noun. Footrest on a bicycle Verb. Action of moving a bicycle using pedals
Peddle	To sell goods especially going from market to market

Peer	1. to look with difficulty. 2. Member of classed society (Lord, Duke)
Pier	Wall leading out to sea where boats tie up.

Pole	1. North or South Pole 2. a long thin rounded piece of wood or metal
Poll	An election or record of the number of votes in an election

Practice	Noun. A profession
Practise	Verb. Do a skill over and over to improve

Pray	Talk to god usually with hands together
Prey	Something being hunted, usually for food.

Principal	1. head of a school 2. sum of money invested 3. the main or most important
Principle	A fundamental truth or belief

Quiet	Adjective. Little or no noise
Quite	Adverb. To a certain degree e.g. quite slow or quite fast

Rain	Moisture falling from the sky in drops.
Reign	Period of rule by a king or queen.
Rein	Strap used to guide a horse.

Read	Verb Present Tense. To look at and understand written words
Reed	Dried plant stem used in thatching (roofing)

Read	Verb. Past Tense. To have looked at and understood written words. Pronounced Red
Red	Colour

Real	Actually existing, not artificial
Reel	1. part of a fishing rod where the line is kept. 2. Celtic dance.

Right	1. Opposite of left. 2. correct, not wrong
Rite	Religious ceremony.
Write	Put words on paper using a pen.

Role	Actor’s part in a play.
Roll	Noun. 1. List of names. 2. small loaf of bread. Verb to turn over as in “roll the dice”

Scene	Part of a play
Seen	Observed

Sensor	A devise for detecting movement or noise
Censer	A container in which incense is burnt
Censor	A person who judges books and films for their suitability
Censure	Express strong disapproval

Shear	To take wool off sheep, to cut with a scissors
Sheer	1. straight drop (cliff) 2. see through cloth 3. Nothing but e.g. sheer hard work

Shone	Verb Past Tense. To Give out bright light e.g. “the sun shone down”
Shown	Verb Past Tense. Made something visible

Sight	Power of seeing
Site	Location
Cite	Quote a passage in a book

Stationary	In a stopped position
Stationery	To do with pens, pencils, paper, envelopes

Storey	Floors in a building
Story	Tale

Team	Group of people acting together
Teem	(to do with rain) To fall heavily or pour down

Than	Used in comparing things. e.g. “One is taller than the other”
Then	1. at that time 2. after that

Their	Belonging to them e.g. their coats
There	In that place
They’re	Contraction They are

To	Preposition. Expressing direction e.g. to him, to the door
Too	1. Also, in addition 2. greater degree than is safe or permitted e.g. too fast
Two	Number 2