Confusing Words - 2

Commonly Confused Words

Acclamation means a loud shout or other demonstration of welcome, goodwill, or approval.

Usage Example: His plan for revival of the company was received with acclamation.

Acclimation means adaptation to a new climate (a new temperature, altitude or environment).

Usage Example: They took a long time to get acclimatised to the new surroundings.

Acetic means of, containing, producing, or derived from acetic acid or vinegar.

Usage Example: Acetic acid is known to soften and lubricate the skin.

Ascetic means a person who leads an austerely simple life, especially one who abstains from the normal pleasures of life or denies himself or herself material satisfaction.

Usage Example: Even though he was surrounded by luxuries, he lived the life of an ascetic.

Aesthetic means relating to pure beauty rather than to other considerations.

Usage Example: Their living room was aesthetically designed.

Adapt means to make suitable to requirements or conditions; adjust or modify fittingly.

Usage Example: The screenplay was adapted to the novel.

Adept means very skilled; proficient; expert.

Usage Example: He is adept at handling many things at the same time.

Adopt means to choose or take as one's own; make one's own by selection or assent.

Usage Example: It needs a mature mind to adopt new theories and principles.

Adduce means to bring forward in argument or as evidence; cite as pertinent or conclusive.

Usage Example: The lawyer adduced new evidence to the case.

Deduce means to derive as a conclusion from something known or assumed; infer.

Usage Example: Human beings are blessed as they are able to deduce the right from the wrong.

Adjoin means to be in connection or contact.

Usage Example: They met at the point where their estates adjoin.

Adjourn means to defer or postpone (a matter) to some future time, either specified or not specified.

Usage Example: The meeting of the municipal body was adjourned to next month.

Adverse means unfavorable or antagonistic in purpose or effect, being or acting in a contrary direction; opposed or opposing.

Usage Example: The adverse winds blew the awning off.

Averse means having a strong feeling of opposition, antipathy, repugnance, etc.; opposed.

Usage Example: People averse to fish could have fried chicken instead.

Advice means an opinion or recommendation offered as a guide to action, conduct, etc.

Usage Example: Public opinion differed on the advice offered by the mayor of the city.

Advise means to recommend as desirable, wise, prudent, etc.

Usage Example: Secrecy was advised for the sake of national security.

This is the essential difference between these two words.

I advise you to accept his advice and leave the country.

Aerie means a lofty nest of any large bird.

Usage Example: The steep mountainous path led to aerie.

Airy means open to a free current of fresh air; breezy.

Usage Example: The house had five large airy rooms.

Eerie means uncanny, so as to inspire superstitious fear; weird.

Usage Example: He was woken up by the eerie midnight howl.

In general, affect functions as a verb and has the following meanings:

(a) To act on; produce an effect or change in.

Usage Example: She did not let her personal grief affect her professional life.

(b) To assume artificially, pretentiously, or for effect.

Usage Example: She affected a southern accent for her new play.

In general, effect functions as a noun and has the following meanings:

(a) Something that is produced by an agency or cause; result; consequence.

Usage Example: The effects of the battle were profound. 

(b) An illusory phenomenon.

Usage Example: The three dimensional effect was phenomenal.

Effect is used as a verb when it means 'to produce, to accomplish, to bring about'.

Usage Example: Do you think a new medicine will effect a change in his condition?

He affected a change in his tone and this had a mesmerizing effect on the audience.

Affluent means having an abundance of wealth, property, or other material goods; prosperous; rich.

Usage Example: The artist was born in an affluent family.

Effluent means something that flows out or forth; outflow; effluence.

Usage Example: A large number of industrial units have been forced to close down due to the massive effluent discharge from them.

Accept is a verb. It means to believe something as valid or correct.

Usage Example: Sneha agreed to accept the terms and conditions of the contract.

Except can be used as a verb, preposition or conjunction. It means to exclude something or someone from a group or category.

Usage Example: She couldn't tell him anything, except that she needed some money.