In the context of religious and spiritual belief—or non-belief—there are two terms that often cause confusion: atheist and agnostic. But these terms do not mean the same thing. Read on to learn the distinction. agnostic vs. atheist There is a key distinction between these terms. An atheist doesn’t believe in the existence of a god or divine being. The word atheist originates with the Greek atheos, which is …
Meteors, meteorites, meteoroids, asteroids, comets … that’s a lot of terms (and space objects) flying around! Not to mention shooting stars and meteor showers. Are they all the same thing? Even though some of them may appear pretty similar to us, the answer is no, they’re not the same thing—especially not to the scientists who study them and who use different terms for specific reasons (more …
English is full of confusingly similar words, including ones that can be used right next to each other in a sentence. Among the most common mistakes when writing—especially when writing something quickly like an email or text—is using you’re and your incorrectly. In this article, we’ll help you remember which one to use every time so that when it comes to choosing your or you’re, …
Information has real-life consequences. It can be a literal life-saver—when it’s true. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. Untrue information can cause great harm. Like a virus, wrong information can spread, causing what’s been called an infodemic. Now more than ever, we are experiencing the spread of two forms of wrong information: misinformation and disinformation. These two words, so often used interchangeably, are merely one …
If you’ve ever followed a tasty soup recipe, you probably reached a step where it asked to use a certain broth or a stock. Even if you are a soup specialist, you may have wondered if it is OK to use broth when a recipe calls for stock or vice versa. In this article, we will break down the technical differences between stock and broth. …
Is there a difference between onto and on to? Does the space change the meaning? And when should one be used instead of the other? In this article, we will explain the difference between onto and on to, explore when and how they are typically used, and provide example sentences that show them in use. The single word onto is most commonly used as a …
Is there a difference between into and in to? Does the space change the meaning? And when should one be used instead of the other? In this article, we’ll go into detail about the difference between into and in to, explain when and how each is used, and provide examples of how they typically appear in sentences. The single word into is a preposition that’s …
Peal and peel are pronounced exactly the same and look very similar, but their meanings are quite different. In this article, join us as we peel back the layers of difference between peal and peel, show how to use the forms pealing and peeling, and provide examples of how these words are used in sentences. Peal and peel are homophones: they sound the same but …
The words viola and violin sound very similar, but do the instruments sound the same? In this article, we’ll note the difference between a viola and a violin, including in size and tone, and also list the other members of the violin family of instruments. The difference between viola and violin First, the similarities: both the violin and viola are members of the violin family …
The difference between infer and imply can be confusing enough, so we’re going to skip the subtle hints and just come right out and explain it. In this article, we’ll explain the distinction between infer and imply, note how their meanings can sometimes overlap, provide examples of how they’re used, and even cover the adjective forms inferred and implied. The verb imply means “to indicate …
The words affect and effect are two of the most commonly confused words in the English language. They’re pronounced pretty much the same, used in the same contexts, and both can be used as both a verb and a noun. So how can you remember the difference? In this article, we’ll explain: The difference between affect and effect When to use affect or effect affects …
Break out the maple syrup, because we are about to dig into some tasty stacks of pancakes, flapjacks, and hotcakes. But do these three words all refer to the same thing, or are there subtle differences? And what about griddlecakes? In this article, we’ll serve up an explanation of how the words pancakes, flapjacks, hotcakes, and griddlecakes differ and how they overlap. A pancake is …