In his syllabus for the Winter 2021 edition of the History and Philosophy of Science II (Late Renaissance through the Enlightenment), Professor Robert Richards made note of some commonly confused word pairs.
Refute vs Rebut
- To refute is to actually prove something isn’t true
- To rebut is to try and prove something isn’t true
Comprise vs compose
- To comprise is to include or contain
- To compose means to make up or form the basis of
The whole comprises the elements or parts, and the elements or parts compose the whole.
Reticent vs reluctant
- To be reticent is to be unwilling to speak or reveal your thoughts
- To be reluctant is to be unwilling to do something
Verbal vs oral
- Something verbal is expressed in words, either spoken or written
- Something oral is related to the mouth, and can refer to something spoken (rather than written)
Compliment vs complement
- To complement is to complete by improving
- To compliment is to remark in a way that says something good about someone or something
Affect vs effect
- To affect is to produce a material influence upon or alteration in
- A change that results when something is done or happens is an effect
Disinterested vs uninterested
- To be disinterested is to be without a vested interested
- To be uninterested is to not show interest
Discreet vs discrete
- Something discreet is careful and intentionally unobtrusive
- Something discrete is something distinct or unconnected
Imply vs infer
- To imply is to strongly suggest the truth or existence of something that is not expressly stated
- To infer is to deduce or conclude information from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statement
Ambiguous vs ambivalent
- To be ambivalent is to have mixed or contradictory feelings about something
- Something ambiguous is unclear or able to be understood in multiple ways