The adjectives effective and affective look and sound similar, but one of these words is much more commonly used than the other. In this article, we will break down the different meanings of effective and affective, explain which word is more commonly used, and give examples of how we typically use effective and affective in sentences. Of the two words, effective is far more commonly …
We all have those words that we’ve heard over and over but don’t have the chance to write out all that often. Which can lead to a little bit of confusion when you actually need said word—like handing in your job application with “resume” in big letters on top instead of résumé. Or worse, talking about your résumé and pronouncing it resume the entire time: …
At some point, you may have been to a black tie event if you’ve attended a fancy wedding. But what the heck is white tie? Is it more formal than black tie? In this article, we will get all dressed up as we break down the differences between black tie and white tie, explain which is considered to be more formal, and give examples of …
When we want to dress fancy, we may put on a suit or a tuxedo. When we do, are we looking for the same clothes, or do we need different outfits? In this article, we will examine the differences between a suit and a tuxedo and explore why one might be preferred over the other. suit vs. tuxedo The word suit is generally used to …
If you’ve been a music fan any time between now and the 1970s, you have probably heard of the terms mixtape and album and have likely listened to quite a few of each. Are those two things the same, or do they march to the beat of different drum machines? In this article, we’ll drop the beat and break down the differences between an album …
Thirty years ago, in his 1993 song “Hip Hop vs. Rap,” hip-hop legend KRS-One summarized his view of the difference between the two: “Rap is something you do. Hip hop is something you live.” Today, 50 years after the date in 1973 that is considered the birth of hip-hop, the terms rap and hip-hop are still often used interchangeably and in distinct ways. Join us …
Only an in- separates the words valuable and invaluable. As it turns out, that small in- is worth a lot when it comes to the different meanings of valuable and invaluable. In this article, we will prove our worth by breaking down the difference between valuable and invaluable, explain how they are typically used, and give examples of how they can be used in sentences. …
The words mass and weight are used both in physics and outside of it to describe how large (mass) or heavy (weight) something is. While these words are often used interchangeably outside of scientific contexts, they do refer to different things. In this article, we will define the words mass and weight, explain how they are used in science to measure different quantities, and discuss …
Let’s say that your favorite movie is The Godfather. If you held a copy of it in your hand, would you use the word titled or entitled to say what the name of the movie is? Which word is correct? Are they both correct? In this article, we will break down the difference between titled and entitled, explain how they are typically used, and give …
Do the words avenge and revenge get you confused? Well, you can get even with them by learning what they mean! In this article, we will break down the difference between avenge and revenge, give tips on how to remember the difference, and provide examples of how we typically use both words in sentences. The word avenge is used as a verb to mean “to …
The words widow and widower are both used to describe a person who has remained unmarried after their spouse passes away. What do these two similar words mean, and why do we use two different words to mean almost the same thing? In this article, we will define widow and widower, explain where the word widower came from, and give a few alternatives that people …
The words cord and chord are pronounced exactly the same and only differ by a single letter. However, they have completely different meanings. In this article, we will break down the most common meanings of cord and chord, briefly explain how they have a shared history, provide a quick tip to remember the difference between them, and provide examples that show how we typically use …