Here I go again! Not too long ago I sent you 10 Words that Don’t Mean What You Think They Mean. Today, I have a list of words that you may be using incorrectly. This list comes from Dictionary.com.
I was unaware of the nuance of a couple of these words, and I find this kind of thing so delightful! I fully admit to being a word nerd, and I hope some of you are kind enough to travel down this nerdy path with me.
| Word | Misconstrued meaning | Correct meaning | Notes |
| enormity | hugeness | atrociousness | The enormity of a person’s act is the heinousness, not the scale of the action. |
| redundant | repetitive | over-done | A good example of redundant can refer to writing, especially when it is verbose, overwrought, and tedious. |
| travesty | tragedy | charade; mockery; sham | A travesty is a “a grotesque or debased likeness or imitation.” |
| chronic | acute; severe | constant; continual; recurring frequently | A chronic controversy is an issue still in need of resolution, such as many political debates about marriage and birth control. |
| disinterested | not interested; uninterested | unbiased, not influenced | A disinterested person may very well be interested and curious about a matter at hand, but he or she doesn’t wish to take sides with the issue or show prejudice through personal motivations. |
| i.e.
e.g. |
These two abbreviations are often confused and misused | i.e. = That is
e.g. = For example |
You can remember how to use this correctly by thinking of “example give,” the strange-sounding reverse of “give [an] example.” |
| ironic | coincidence; bad luck | Literal words convey the opposite meaning; saying one thing but implying something else | If Sunny, who only adores warm weather, walks outside in the freezing cold and exclaims, “Oh, how I love beautiful days like this!”… that’s ironic. |
| peruse | to skim or glance | read carefully | The underlying and long-standing definition relates to the “leisurely” pace of reading a document as the reader takes the time to thoroughly review what’s been written. |
It’s OK if you are disinterested in this topic, I only hope you’re not uninterested. And I hope you have a glorious day.
Donna Bradley Burcher |Technical Editor, Advisory | jack henry™
Pronouns she/her/hers
Symitar Documentation Services
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Editor’s Corner keeps your communication skills sharp by providing information on grammar, punctuation, JHA style, and all things English. As editors, we spend our days reading, researching, and revising other people’s writing. We love to spend a few extra minutes to share what we learn with you and keep it fun while we’re doing it.
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