Has someone ever told you that you used a wrong word? Well, you're not alone. Many people confuse terms without even knowing it. You might think that it's usually the English language learners who get the names of concepts or objects all mixed up, but it's not unusual for native speakers to get tangled up in misconceptions too.

The truth is, some terms seem so synonymous that people don't even bother to look them up. So, if you ever find yourself in an argument whether muffins have icing or whether tofu and panner are the same thing, it might mean that you need to do some research. But no worries. This time we've got you covered. Inspired by a Scoop Whoop post we dug around and collected some of the most confusing words to explain the differences between them.

Check out if you've made any of these mistakes and let us know in the comments.

(h/t)

#1

Commonly Misused Words

CityofDeltona , diaznash Report

Ry Keener
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One will see you later, the other will see you after a while.

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#3

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

wiki Report

#4

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

PublicDomainPictures , Foto-Rabe Report

athornedrose
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

or as we were taught, poisonous: hurts if you bite it, venomous: hurts if it bites you.

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#8

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Pexels , pen_ash Report

Lucida
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In my language (Swedish) both have the same name but with "land" and "water" at the beginning of the word, like "waterturtle" and "landturtle".

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#10

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Alaska Fisheries Science Center , GFDL&CC Report

Marlene Riethmüller
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

had been told 'shrimp' is used more in American English, while 'prawn' is favoured in British English

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#12

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

arinaja , Rebecca Siegel Report

stellermatt
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

in the uk jam is on toast and jelly is with ice cream...

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#18

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Staleybk , Pexels Report

Erin
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I only know this because I am a cat nerd

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#20

Commonly Misused Words

adege , Hans Report

Lizard Queen
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." - Terry Pratchett

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#22

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Luctheo , Annca Report

Hans
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This does not really belong here, does it? A champagne is still a sparkling wine, so technically it is a specialisation, not two thing that are confused but essentially are different.

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#23

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Stanze , Skeeze Report

Neeraj Jha
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Their expression say that they are disappointed in you that you didn't know this.

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#25

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Linda De Volder , Dmitry Dzhus Report

Hans
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do not tell this to all this alternative right movements who claim that there are certain "people" native to places, and that their intermingling with other "races" will weaken the national identity. We may form nations and e may come from different ethnicies, but we are all humans!

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#26

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

seagul , mareke Report

Rue Granger
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"I never know... What's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?" "Stalagmite has an 'm' in it"

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#27

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

earth247woman , Illuvis Report

Cactuar Jon
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How do people not know the difference between a butterfly and a moth???

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#28

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

willems_87 , Nahal08 Report

N G
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What do you call a Gorilla that has a Banana stuck in each ear ? Answer: Anything you like..... because he can't hear you

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#29

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Zweer de Bruin , Bertoguide Report

Lizard Queen
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Armadillos are native to the Americas, pangolins are native to Asia.

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#30

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Ben_Kerckx , fsHH Report

Rue Granger
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I'm pretty sure people know this. Right? Or is it just me?

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#31

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

BubbleJuice , kathydetweiler Report

Dian Ella Lillie
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I did a Masters and a PhD in anurans. The distinction between 'frogs' and 'toads is arbitary. Not all dryish anurans are short-leggedish, or smoothish, or stringy-eggedish, and not all mucussy anurans are the obverse in one or more of those characteristics. The notion of frogs versus toads is simply a gradient of perceptions with no biological significance. And the teeth thing that another commernter claimed is a nonsense...

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#32

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

NickRivers , webandi Report

Dian Ella Lillie
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wasps can be pollinators - there are many species of orchids whose flower structures are predicated on exactly this fact. Look it up.

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#33

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Liz Mochrie , George Wesley & Bonita Dannells Report

Vivek Mhatre
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Paneer is awesome. Especially when coated with a layer of spiced corn flour or spiced bread.

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#34

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

GLady , Dennis Candy Report

Neeraj Jha
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am not sure about this.. The one on the right is also eaten as a fruit in my natives.. It's more like a different variety of Banana..

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#35

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Wounds_and_Cracks , Couleur Report

Mary-Jane Scharnick
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

in S.A the tangerines are called naartjies. pronounced 'nar-chies' . think it comes from the Afrikaans language.

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#36

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

SofieZborilova , MartinStr Report

Dian Ella Lillie
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Like other differences on this list, the distinctions are arbitrary and not consistent. There is not biological difference between kangaroos and wallabies, save size, and small kangaroos and be smaller than large wallabies. Some wallaby species are distinctly plain in colour. My bona fides? I'm a biologist, with three species of macropod that that come out to graze on my paddocks every night.

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#37

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Alexas_Fotos , Glavo Report

Cactuar Jon
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Rats are amazing, intelligent creatures and it's about time people stopped being scarred of them and start educating themselves about them. They deserve respect.

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#38

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Rawpixel , Wpaczocha Report

Lee roberts
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Unless you drink what may aswell be a bucket of tea like me.

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#39

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

RitaE , Mooss Report

Neeraj Jha
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I thought it's more of US/UK thing. UK calls it biscuits while US cookies.. no?

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