Commonly confused words

review vs view

A view is what you see from a place or what you happen to think: "The flat has a view of the park," "In my vie...

revolution vs resolution

A revolution is the overthrow of a system, or one full turn. A resolution is a firm decision, the solving of a...

rheumatism vs arthritis

Arthritis is a medical term for inflammation of a joint, with many specific named forms. Rheumatism is an old,...

ride vs rode

Ride is the present-tense form, rode is the simple past, and ridden is the past participle used after a helper...

role vs roll

A <em>role</em> is a part someone plays or a function they perform: "she took on a management role". A <em>rol...

root vs route

A root is the part of a plant that grows underground, or the origin of something: "the root of the problem." A...

rugby vs soccer

Two separate sports that split from the same root. Soccer is played with the feet, a round ball and no handlin...

rutabaga vs turnip

They are different plants. A rutabaga is larger, with yellow-orange flesh and a denser, sweeter taste — it is...

sadist vs masochist

A sadist takes pleasure in inflicting suffering; a masochist in receiving it. The direction is the whole disti...

salary vs wage

A salary is a fixed yearly amount, paid out in equal instalments no matter how many hours you actually work: <...

sale vs sell

Sell is a verb, the thing you do: "We sell bikes and spare parts." Sale is a noun, the transaction or the disc...

sang vs sung

Sang is the simple past tense; sung is the past participle, which only appears after a helper verb such as hav...

Sanskrit vs Hindi

Sanskrit is an ancient classical language, no longer spoken as a first language, and the liturgical language o...

sasquatch vs yeti

Both are legendary ape-like figures, separated by region. Sasquatch — also called Bigfoot — belongs to the fol...

satire vs sarcasm

Satire is a form — writing, film or art that uses humour, irony or exaggeration to criticise something, usuall...

sauce vs source

Sauce is a liquid or semi-liquid served with food: "He poured the sauce over the pasta." Source is the origin...

say vs tell

Tell is followed by the person who hears it; say is followed by the words themselves. So it's "he told me a se...

scarcity vs shortage

Scarcity is a permanent condition: there is never enough of everything to satisfy every want, which is why cho...

schmuck vs putz

Both are Yiddish insults for a foolish or contemptible man, and both literally mean penis. Schmuck is the hars...

schooner vs sloop

The difference is the number of masts. A sloop has one mast; a schooner has two or more, with the foremast sho...

scimitar vs cutlass

Both are single-edged curved swords, from different traditions and built for different fighting. A scimitar is...

sea vs see

Sea is a noun: the salt water, or a named body of it. "The sea was rough on Tuesday." See is a verb: to percei...

sedition vs treason

Sedition is speech or organised conduct that incites rebellion against authority. Treason is the graver offenc...

selfish vs selfless

Selfish means acting for your own benefit at the expense of others. Selfless means acting for others without r...