Top 30+ Easily Confused Words in English

Learn Commonly Confused Words. Many English learners are confused about words that sound and look alike.

Confused Words in English

• bough – bow

– bough: branch of a tree

– bow: front of a ship or to bend the head

• brake – break

– brake: device for stopping something

– break: pause or separate into pieces

• breach – breech

– breach: break through of break a rule

– breech: back part of a gun barrel

• broach – brooch

– broach: raise a subject for discussion

– brooch: piece of jewellery

• canvas – canvass

– canvas: strong type of cloth

– canvass: seek someone’s vote

• censure – censor

– censure: strongly criticise

– censor: ban something or someone who does

• cereal – serial

– cereal: breakfast food or edible grain

– serial: happening in a series

• chord – cord

– chord: group or musical notes

– cord: length of string

• climactic – climatic

– climactic: creating a climax

– climatic: relating to the climate

• coarse – course

– coarse: rough or uneven

– course: direction, school subject, part of meal

• draught – draft

– draught: current of air

– draft: first version of a piece of writing

• draw – drawer

– draw: even score at the end of a game

– drawer: sliding storage compartment

• dual – duel

– dual: having two parts

– duel: contest between two participants

• elicit – illicit

– elicit: draw out a reply or reaction

– illicit: not allowed by law or against rules

• ensure – insure

– ensure: make certain something happens

– insure: pre-arrange to get compensation

• envelop – envelope

– envelop: cover or surround something

– envelope: paper container for a letter

• exercise – exorcise

– exercise: physical activity

– exorcise: drive out an evil spirit

• fawn – faun

– fawn: young deer or light brown colour

– faun: mythical part man part goat being

• flaunt – flout

– flaunt: display ostentatiously

– flout: disregard a rule or law

• forbear – forebear

– forbear: refrain from something

– forebear: ancestor

• complacent – complaisant

– complacent: smug or self-satisfied

– complaisant: willing to please

• complement – compliment

– complement: something added that improves

– compliment: express approval or admiring remark

• council – counsel

– council: group that manages or advises

– counsel: advice or to advise

• cue – queue

– cue: signal to act or a wooden rod

– queue: row of people or vehicles

• curb – kerb

– curb: limit or keep something in check

– kerb: stone edge of pavement

• currant – current

– currant: dried grape

– current: happening now, flow of fluid/ eclectricity

• defuse – diffuse

– defuse: make a situation less tense

– diffuse: spread over wide area

• desert – dessert

– desert: waterless, empty area or abandon

– dessert: sweet course of a meal

• discreet – discrete

– discreet: careful not to attract attention

– discrete: separate and distinct

• disinterested – uninterested

– disinterested: impartial

– uninterested: not interested

• foreword – forward

– foreword: introduction at start of a book

– forward: onwards or ahead

• freeze – frieze

– freeze: turn into ice

– frieze: decoration along a wall

• grisly – grizzly

– grisly: gruesome or revolting

– grizzly: type of bear

• hoard – horde

– hoard: stock or stash of money or things

– horde: large crowd of people

• imply – infer

– imply: indirectly suggest something

– infer: draw a conclusion from

• loath – loathe

– loath: reluctant or unwilling

– loathe: to hate someone or something

• loose – lose

– loose: set free or unfasten

– lose: be deprived of or fail to win

• bazaar – bizarre

– bazaar: a market in the Middle East

– bizarre: strange

• amoral – immoral

– amoral: unconcerned with right or wrong

– immoral: not following moral standards

• balmy – barmy

– balmy: pleasingly warm

– barmy: foolish or crazy

Confused Words in English | Images