List of Similar Words

Similar words vary just a little in their spelling or pronunciation. But there is a lot of difference in their meaning. They must, therefore, be used with utmost care and attention. Here is a short list of some words that are often confused.

1. Accept: He did not accept my proposal.
   Except: All except Huma were present.
2. Access: He has no access to the Governor.
   Excess: They were charged the excess fare.
3. Advice: She turned a deaf ear to my advice.
   Advise: I advised her to do her duty.
4. Affect: The murderer affected madness.
   Effect: High fever had no effect on his brain.
5. Air: Birds fly in the air.
   Heir: He is an heir to a large estate.
   Ere: Do some good ere you die.
6. Ascent: Ascent to Murree is very steep.
   Assent: I gave my assent to the proposal.
7. Aught: Is there aught I can do for you.
   Ought: You ought to help your neighbours.
8. Bad: A bad workman quarrels with his tools.
   Bade: I bade him leave my room.
9. Bail: He was released on bail.
   Bale: I have sold 600 bales of cotton.
10. Bare: His head was bare.
    Bear: She cannot bear the sight.
11. Berry: Do you sell berries?
    Bury: The Muslims bury the dead.
12. Berth: This berth is reserved for me.
    Birth: what is your date of birth?
13. Born: Mehreen was born at Multan.
    Borne: We have borne many hardships.
14. Bridal: How did she look in her bridal dress.
    Bridle: Control the horse with the bridle.
15. Cannon: Cannons are used in warfare.
    Canon: He knows no canons of morality.
16. Canvas: This bag made of canvas.
    Canvass: Canvass votes for my friend.
17. Cast: They were cast into prison.
    Caste: Aqsa is a Jutt by caste.
18. Ceiling: Paint the ceiling white.
    Sealing: Sealing-wax has been sold out.
19. Cell: The prisoner is confined in a cell.
    Sell: He will not sell this house.
20. Check: I did not check his accounts.
    Cheque: You give him a cheque for Rs.350.
21. Cite: Cite a verse from the Holy Quran.
    Site: This is a site for the Habib Bank.
    Sight: It was a lovely sight.
22. Coarse: She does not like coarse cloth.
    Course: This is the only course open to you.
23. Council: The session of the council is over.
    Counsel: She did not accept my counsel.
24. Dairy: We buy milk from the dairy farm.
    Diary: Where is my diary?
25. Decease: The deceased was a man of parts.
    Disease: Cholera is a dangerous disease.
26. Defer: Do not defer payment please.
    Differ: I differ with you on this point.
27. Deference: Show due deference to your elders.
    Difference: That makes no difference.
28. Descent: Descent is easier than ascent.
    Dissent: My dissent may please be recorded.
29. Die: Did he die by inches?
    Dye: Dye this coat blue.
30. Dose: Take a dose every for hours.
    Doze: Do not doze in the class room.
31. Draft: I paid him by a draft in the united Bank.
    Draught: Drink this cup of milk in one draught.
    Drought: Drought causes famine.
32. Dual: There are twenty dual desks in this room.
    Duel: Sohrab and Rustam fought a duel.
33. Due: Give the devil his due.
    Dew: Dew falls on a clear cold night.
34. Fair: Let us go to the fair.
    Fare: Who will pay my railway fare from Lahore to Karachi?
35. Feet: I have to feet. It is two feet long.
    Feat: His feats of skill were wonderful.
36. Floor: She was sitting on the floor.
    Flour: There are many flour mills in Faisalabad.
    Flower: The rose is a beautiful flower.
37. Foul: I do not like him for his foul breath.
    Fowl: Buy fowls from poultry farms.
38. Forth: Bring him forth.
    Fourth: I have finished the fourth chapter.
39. Gate: The gate of the factory closes at 6.PM.
    Gait: She has a graceful gait.
40. Gilt: My copy of the Holy Quran is gilt edged.
    Guilt: He did not confess his guilt.
41. Hail: I hail from Murree in this hall storm.
    Hale: He was quite hale and heartily.
42. Heal: This wound will not heal so soon.
    Heel: My uncle has run a thorn into his heel.
43. Heard: I heard a cry.
    Herd: A herd of cattle was grazing in the field.
44. Hew: Hew down this tree.
    Hue: These garments are not of the same hue.
45. Idle: Do not sit idle.
    Idol: We do not worship idols.
46. Liar: He is a liar.
    Lawyer: This lawyer charges a very high fee.
47. Lesson: She does not learn her lesson well.
    Lessen: I tried to lessen her misery.
48. Letter: I wrote a letter to my sister.
    Latter: The latter is younger than the former.
    Later: He came later than i.
49. Lion: The lion is the king of the forest.
    Loin: Gird up your loins.
50. Loose: The Arabs wear loose clothes.
    Lose: How did you lose your book.
51. Mail: Foreign air mail rates are very high.
    Male: She gave birth to a male child.
52. Main: Solve the main problem first of all.
    Mane: The lioness has no mane.
53. Marry: He will marry Miss Sehar.
    Merry: Eat drink and be merry.
54. Meat: The lion eats meat.
    Meet: Where did you meet him?
55. Metal: Gold is a precious metal.
    Mettle: Your mettle will soon be tested.
56. Medal: He has won a gold medal.
    Meddle: Do not meddle with my affairs.
57. Naughty: He is a naughty boy.
    Knotty: This is a knotty sum.
58. Pale: She turned pale at the sight of a snake.
    Pail: She has brought a pail of water.
59. Pain: I feel some pain in my chest.
    Pane: Who broke this window-pane?
60. Peace: Pakistan stands for peace.
    Piece: Give me a piece of chalk.
61. Peal: They burst into peals of laughter.
    Peel: Do not peel this apple.
62. Plain: Plain living is the best.
    Plane: The carpenter lost his plane.
63. Practice: Practice makes a man perfect.
    Practice: Practise what you preach.
64. Pray: We pray for the prosperity of Pakistan.
    Prey: The lion jumped upon its prey.
65. Principal: Is the principal in his office?
    Principle: He is not a man of principle.
66. Quiet: Keep quiet.
    Quite: I am quite well.
67. Rain: Do not go out in the rain.
    Reign: Faizi lived in the reign of Akbar.
    Rein: He pulled the reins of his horse.
68. Raise: He raised his head.
    Raze: The house was razed to the ground.
69. Right: I have a right to be here.
    Write: Write a letter to your father.
70. Root: Look at the root of this plant.
    Route: This bus takes a very long route.
71. Sale: This bicycle is for sale.
    Sail: He sailed for England.
72. Stationary: The earth is a not stationary.
    Stationery: He deals in stationery.
73. Storey: This house has four storeys.
    Story: It is an interesting story.
74. Vain: He is too vain to be respected.
    Vein: A vein carries blood back to the heart.
75. Vale: How beautiful the Vale of Kashmir is.
    Veil: Her face was hidden behind the veil.
76. Waist: He ties a belt around his waist.
    Waste: Do not waste your time.
77. Way: On my way home, I met an old beggar.
    Weigh: Did you weigh this parcel?
78. Weak: He is weak in English.
    Week: Seven days make a week.
79. Yoke: The farmer had a yoke of oxen.
    Yolk: The yolk of an egg is very nourishing.

Words Similar in Form

1. Accident: He broke his left arm in an accident.
   Incident: It was the strangest incident of his life.
2. Affection: I have great affection for my children.
   Affectation: Your illness is a mere affectation.
3. Amiable: His manners are very amiable.
   Amicable: We came to an amicable settlement.
4. Apposite: Her speech was apposite to the occasion.
   Opposite: We belong to opposite camps.
5. Born: Rashid was born on April 26, 1955.
   Borne: These expenses were borne by us.
6. Confident: I am confident about my success.
   Confidant: My servant is my confidant.
7. Conscious: I am conscious of my shortcomings.
   Conscientious: He is a conscientious worker.
8. Credible: Your story is not credible.
   Creditable: Her behavior is creditable.
9. Elicit: The police failed to elicit any information from her.
   Illicit: He was arrested for illicit sale for wine.
10. Eligible: She is not eligible for this post.
    Illegible: His handwriting is illegible.
11. Eminent: His father is an eminent doctor.
    Imminent: Is another world war imminent?
12. Forego: The foregoing facts are worth consideration.
    Forgo: I must forgo the pleasure of your company.
13. Honorary: The secretary of our club is honorary.
    Honorable: His father is an honorable man.
14. Industrial: Sialkot is an industrial town.
    Industrious: You are not industrious.
15. Insure: Is your life insured?
    Ensure: Work hard and ensure your success.
16. Judicial: He is in the judicial look-up.
    Judicious: Be judicious in choosing your friends.
17. Popular: Our headmaster is very popular.
    Populous: China is a populous country.
18. Respectable: He is a respectable young man.
    Respectful: She is respectful to her elders.
19. Virtual: The Prime Minister is the virtual ruler of a country.
    Virtuous: She leads a virtuous life.
20. Vocation: What is his vocation in life?
    Vacation: I went to Murree during the summer vacation.

Words Different in Sound and Form.

1. Adapt: Adapt yourself to your new surroundings.
   Adept: She is adept in sewing.
   Adopt: Do not adopt unfair means in the examination.
2. Admit: I admit that I was at fault.
   Confess: The accused confessed his guilt.
3. Answer: Your answer was to the point.
   Reply: I received his reply yesterday.
4. Artisan: A carpenter is an artisan.
   Artist: A painter is an artist.
5. Battle: India suffered heavy losses in the battle of Jaurian near Jammu.
   War: The first indo-Pakistan war was fought in 1965.
6. Bring: Bring me a cup of tea.
   Fetch: Fetch me my hat, please.
7. Childish: I dislike him for his childish habits.
   Childlike: We love him for his childlike talk.
8. Cloth: Cloth is sold by the yard.
   Clothes: The tailor has sewn my clothes.
9. Common: Akhtar is our common friend.
   Mutual: Mutual rivalry has ruined these families.
10. Compare: Compare the Quaid-i-Azam to Kamal Ataturk.
    Contrast: Contrast the character of Akbar with that of Aurangzeb.
11. Contagious: Smallpox is a contagious disease.
    Infectious: Cholera is an infectious disease.
12. Contemptible: His habits are contemptible.
    Contemptuous: Your remarks are contemptuous.
13. Continual: It rained continually for three days.
    Continuous: it rained continuously for six hours.
14. (opposite of "warm"): Cool breeze was blowing yesterday.
    Cold. (opposite of "hot"): It is very cold today.
15. Corporal: I hate corporal punishment.
    Corporeal: God is not corporeal.
16. Corpse: Carry the corpse to the graveyard.
    Carcass: It was the carcass of a donkey.
17. Crime: Theft is a crime.
    Vice: Gambling is a vice.
    Sin: Idolatry is a sin.
18. Custom: Sati was a cruel custom.
    Habit: Smoking is a bad habit.
19. Deny: He denied having murdered her.
    Refuse: He refused to act upon my advice.
20. Desirous: We are desirous of success.
    Desirable: Such things are not desirable.
21. Discover: Columbus discovered America.
    Invent: Caxton invented the printing press.
22. Drown: He was drowned in the canal.
    Sink: The ship did not sink in the sea.
23. Envious: He is envious of my position.
    Jealous: Don't be jealous.
24. Famous: He is famous for his hospitality.
    Notorious: He is a notorious gambler.
25. Float: Wood floats in water.
    Swim: We swim in this tank.
26. Hear: I did not hear her cries.
    Listen: Listen to me.
27. High: This Mountain is very high.
    Tall: His brother is as tall as I.
28. Home: Burma is the home of elephants.
    House: This house is to let.
29. Human: To err is human.
    Humane: The Prophet of Islam (SAW) had a humane heart.
30. Sick: When we go on a voyage we suffer from seasickness.
    Ill: I did not go to school because I am ill.
31. Look: Look before you leap.
    See: We see with our eyes.
32. Piteous: Her cries were piteous.
    Pitiable: My condition is pitiable.
33. Practical: He failed in practical science.
    Practicable: This scheme is not practicable.
34. Relation: There is no relation between the two events.
    Relative: He is a near relative of mine.
35. Robber: The robber was shot dead.
    Thief: The thief made good his escape.
36. Salary: I received my salary yesterday.
    Wages: Pay the labourer his wages.
37. Sensible: He is a sensible young man.
    Sensitive: He is too sensitive to bear this joke.
38. Social: I do not like such social customs.
    Sociable: One must be sociable enough to win.
39. Verbal: Verbal translation is good-for-noting.
    Oral (opposite of "written"): He failed in the oral examination.
40. Weather: The weather was very fine today.
    Climate: Its climate is hot and dry.