Commonly Confused Words
1. Expansive & Expensive
Expansive means having a wide range or extent; comprehensive; extensive.
Usage Example: The general told expansive tales about the war.
Expensive means high-priced; costly; dear.
Usage Example: Expensive tastes are the mark of the man.
2. Expletive & Explicative
Expletive means an exclamation or swearword; an oath or a sound expressing an emotional reaction rather than any particular meaning.
Usage Example: The tape had "expletive deleted" in many places.
Explicative means explanatory; interpretive.
Usage Example: The first chapter though informative is too explicative and detailed.
3. Explicit & Implicit
Explicit means fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated; leaving nothing merely implied; unequivocal.
Usage Example: Explicit instructions about the day tour were provided on booking the tour.
Implicit means implied, rather than expressly stated.
Usage Example: There was an implicit understanding amongst them about not speaking on the subject.
4. Explosion & Implosion
Explosion has the following meanings:
1. The act or an instance of exploding.
Usage Example: The explosion of the firecrackers was deafening.
2. A sudden or violent outburst of activity, noise, emotion, etc.
Usage Example: The comedian's act drew forth an explosion of laughter.
Implosion means the act of imploding; a bursting inward.
Usage Example: The implosion of the bulb could be heard in the next room.
5. Expose (verb) & Expose (noun)
Expose (verb) means to lay open to danger, attack, harm, etc.
Usage Example: Our heads were exposed to the thundershowers as the weather had suddenly turned inclement.
Expose (noun) means a public exposure or revelation, as of something discreditable.
Usage Example: Fearing public expose he decided to change his city and identity.
6. Expostulate & Postulate
Expostulate means to reason earnestly with someone against something that person intends to do or has done; remonstrate.
Usage Example: Everyone expostulated with him on the hazards of all work and no play theory, and advised him to relax a little.
Postulate means to ask, demand, or claim.
Usage Example: When one postulates aid one should also be prepared to share some burden.
7. Extant & Extent
Extant means in existence; still existing; not destroyed or lost.
Usage Example: Some extant manuscripts were found with the village elders.
Extent means the space or degree to which a thing extends; length, area, volume, or scope.
Usage Example: The farmland to a vast extent was barren and not tillable.
8. Eyelet & Islet
Eyelet means a small hole for a lace or cord to be passed through or for a hook to be inserted into.
Usage Example: The young girl was competent enough to do 500 eyelets in an hour.
Eyelet can also refer to a chink or small opening, such as a peephole in a wall.
Usage Example: Peeping through the eyelet in the door he saw a huge man standing outside.
Islet means a very small island.
Usage Example: They built a log hut on the islet to spend their summer vacations.
9. Eatable & Edible
Eatable means fit or suitable for eating; edible.
Usage Example: The fruit was juicy and eatable.
Edible means fit to be eaten; eatable.
Usage Example: The vegetable is bitter in taste and no amount of cooking will make it edible.
10. Empathy & Sympathy
Empathy means the power of understanding and imaginatively entering into another person's feelings.
Usage Example: It is very common for the musician to have empathy with his instrument.
Sympathy means the sharing of another's emotions, esp of sorrow or anguish; pity; compassion.
Usage Example: Her boss did not show much sympathy to her on not completing her work.