Three years ago Karen wrote about some “Misused Words and Phrases” but today I thought I’d add to her great list with some that I’ve found troublesome when discovered in a proposal or a book.
Penultimate
This is carelessly used to mean “the best” or “the greatest.” Penultimate means next to the last in a series or sequence. Not the best of the best. Not to be confused with the iPad app from Evernote called Penultimate. In that case it is a play on the “pen” part of the word and this writing app is supposed to be the “ultimate” writing experience on your iPad. Maybe the word will change its meaning in the English language. But for now, please use it correctly.
Bemuse
“The joke made him laugh and stare at me with bemusement.” The writer meant to write “amusement.” To be bemused is to be bewildered or confused. It is possible that my sample sentence intended to describe a character who was bewildered, but the context said otherwise. This word is beginning to change its meaning to describe “detached amusement.” (See the Merriam-Webster online dictionary definition.) If you and your friends are bemused by the change, talk amongst yourselves.
I could care less
Be sure to make this a negative because you meant to write “I couldn’t care less.” Think about that one for a second, it will reveal itself to you.
Climatic
The writer meant to write “climactic.” The above relates to climate. The correct word relates to the climax.
Wreck havoc
It is “wreak havoc.” Wreak means to cause or inflict. Like “wreak vengeance.”
Wreck (without the “a”) means to cause destruction. It is a common error because they are similar in sound and meaning. But it jumps off the page to an editor when done wrong.
Appraise
“I appraised him of the situation.” Nope. You “apprised” him of the situation. To appraise is to figure out the value of something (like the selling price of your house). Apprise means to inform.
Flaunt
When you “flaunt” you are showing off. “Flaunt your wealth.”
When you “flount” you disregard or mock.
A bad boy cannot “flaunt” the rules. He flounts the rules.
Proscribe
This means to denounce, condemn, or forbid. It does not mean to recommend. That is the word “prescribe.”
A doctor can prescribe a treatment for your illness.
A doctor can also proscribe you from doing certain activities after your knee surgery.
They mean very different things.
Irregardless
Karen included this in her list, but I thought I would expand on it a little.
Look this up in the dictionary. The definition is “regardless.” ??? It’s technically not a word.
Regard-less means to be without regard.
Ir-regard means to not have regard.
So ir-regard-less means “not-regard-without” or “regard” because the prefix and suffix cancel each other out.
Editors will scrub this one from your manuscript. But it will be found in every day language. Which means someday it might make its way as a legitimate word….after a generation or two pass by.
Your Turn:
Are there any words that you can add to the list?
