Confused Words

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WORDS	DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
bad badly	Bad is an adjective used after verbs like am, feel, is, seem, and become: They felt bad. (Using badly here would mean that their skill at feeling is poor).
	Badly is an adverb used after other verbs: They played badly. Badly can also mean "greatly": They needed food badly.
baited bated	Baited usually refers to traps: Baiting deer in order to hunt them is illegal in most states.
	Bated is seldom used but means "reduced, abated": Jessica bated her pace to let her running mate catch up.
bare bear	Bare means "naked": Walking in grass with bare feet is refreshing.
	Bear is the animal, and also means "to carry": Sherman must bear the burden of flunking math twice.
bazaar bizarre	Bazaar is an exhibition, market, or fair: The Saturday morning bazaar is worth seeing even if you buy nothing.
	Bizarre means "weird and unworldly": Barry told us a bizarre story last night.
belief believe	Belief is a noun: He had strong beliefs.
	Believe is a verb: She believes she can do anything.
beside besides	Beside means "next to": Place the dishes beside the sink.
	Besides is an adverb or preposition that means "also, additionally": I would enjoy going on a vacation besides.
better had better	Had better is the correct form, used when giving advice that hints at an undesirable consequence if not followed: You had better go to the doctor. Don't leave out have.
between among	See among, between.
biannual biennial	Biannual is twice in one year: My trip to the dentist is a biannual event.
	Biennial means "every two years": These flowers are biennial; they bloom every two years.
bimonthly semimonthly	Bimonthly means "every two months": We order from the co-op bimonthly.
	Semimonthly means "twice a month (biweekly)": We have our house cleaned semimonthly.
blithe lithe	Blithe, an adjective, means "lighthearted and carefree": A blithe mood overcomes us in the spring.
	Lithe is also an adjective but it means "flexible, graceful, and supple": The lithe movements of the yoga instructor impressed us all.
blonde blond	Blonde describes women: Brunettes have just as much fun as blondes (blonde women).
	Blond describes men: Sean was not a natural blond. This distinction is not necessary though: blond is now generally accepted for both men and women.
board bored	Board means a few things. One is "a long sheet of wood": Hiram had to cut the board to make the shelves. It also means "a committee": The board of directors met to decide the fate of the school. Lastly, it can mean "to get onto": She boarded the ship.
	Bored means "not interested": She is bored by the dry lecture.
bore boar boor	A bore is a boring or tiresome person or thing: Jasper is such a bore when he talks about his cats!
	A boar is a male pig: Wild boars abound in this forest.
	A boor is an unrefined, vulgar person: What a boor Guy was to get drunk at the wedding and embarrass everyone.
born borne	Born is newly coming into life: A child was born at 12:01 New Year's day.
	Borne means "carried": All gossip is borne by an ill wind.
borrow lend loan	Borrow is to receive something from someone temporarily: to borrow a book and then return it.
	Lend is a verb that mean "to temporarily give something to someone": Henry will lend (or loan) Francine a book.
	Loan is a noun: a bank loan. Loan is often used in American English as a verb meaning "to lend": Loan me a book, please.
braise braze	Braise means "to cook (usually meat) slowly in liquid": Braised meat is usually tender.
	To braze is to solder or create with metals such as bronze: Shirley brazed a statue of a famous Civil War leader.
brake break	Brake means "to stop": You should brake slowly on ice.
	Break means "to smash": To break a mirror brings seven years of worse luck than you are having now.
breath breathe	Breath is a noun meaning "the air pulled into the lungs": Take a deep breath and relax.
	Breathe, with an E on the end, is a verb: Just breathe deeply and calm down.
bridal bridle	Bridal has to do a bride and her wedding: June May threw her bridal bouquet to the screaming crowd of single women.
	A bridle is a halter or restraint, such as a horse bridle: Old Frosty didn't like the bridle over his head.
by buy bye	By is a preposition meaning "next to": Park the car by the house.
	Buy means "purchase": Grandpa buys an ice cream cone every Sunday afternoon.
	Bye means "farewell or good-bye": Bye, now; I'll see you later.