On Writing: Less Common Homophones, pt. 1

This post discussed some of the most common homophones. Today, I have the first half of a list of some of the less common ones. These are all words I've seen used incorrectly, or--worse!--words I have used incorrectly. These are also the words no one seems to correct on Facebook. 


Accept/Except

Accept means to receive or agree; except excludes something. I can accept everything, except what I can't.


Aisle/Isle

An aisle is a manmade walkway. An isle is an island. There are no aisles on this isle.


Adverse/Averse

Adverse means "opposite" and averse means "a feeling of opposition." She wouldn't be averse to you suffering adverse consequences.


Assure/Ensure/Insure

Assure is to tell positively. Ensure is to make sure. Insure is guarantee against harm. We assure you that we will ensure that you are insured.


Allusion/Illusion

Allusion is a reference, while illusion is deception. I don't appreciate your allusion to that illusion.


Born/Borne

Born means birthed while borne means carried or held. After the baby was born, her cries were borne on the wind.


Break/Brake

Break is destruction, brake is to slow or stop (or the device used to slow or stop). Don't break the brakes!


Canon/Cannon

Canon is the standard or a body of law. Cannon is a mounted gun. You can't use a cannon to blow holes in the canon.


Censor/Censer


A censor is someone who suppresses art that they consider morally objectionable; to censor is the act of doing so. A censer is a closed container in which incense is burned. There's no reason to censor the censer.


Council/Counsel


A council is a governing body. To counsel is to give advice. The council offered to counsel the young witch.


Cite/Sight/Site

To cite is to mention a source. Sight is the sense you need your eyeballs for. A site is a location.


Capital/Capitol

Capital is the official seat of government. Capitol is the building used by the seat of government. The capitol building is in the capital city.


Climactic/Climatic

Climactic has to do witch climax, while climatic has to do with climate. The Little Ice Age was a climactic climatic event.


Complement/Compliment

To complement is to complete something. To compliment is to offer praise or approval. The guest complimented the host on her choice of wine since it complemented the meal so well.


Defuse/Diffuse

Defuse is to make less dangerous. Diffuse is to spread out or disperse. By defusing the bomb, he diffused the situation.


Discreet/Discrete


To be discreet is to be unobtrusive. Discrete is apart or detached from. Discrete entities must be discreet when they meet.


Desert/Dessert

Desert is a climate where liquid water is scarce or to abandon someone or something. Dessert is the sweet treat at the end of a meal. Don't desert your desserts in the desert!


Elicit/Illicit

Elicit is to bring forth. Illicit is another word for illegal or not approved. She elicited confessions of an illicit affair.


Emigrate/Immigrate

Emigrate is to leave, immigrate is to arrive. People emigrate from Michigan and immigrate to Texas.


Flair/Flare

Flair is natural talent or smartness of style. Flare is unsteady burning. His flair for the dramatic has a tendency to flare up on the weekends.


Grisly/Grizzly

Grisly is horrible. Grizzly is grayish or a type of bear. We stumbled across the grisly remains of the grizzly bear attack.

Part two of this post is coming soon!