Confusing Words Clarified: Group C; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, Polysemes, etc.
(lists of "C" sections that are organized into what for some people are confusing groups of words)
Three words that every student of language should understand are homonyms, synonyms, and antonyms.
Homonyms are words that sound alike, but have different meanings. Synonyms are words that are related in meaning but do not sound alike (begin and commence, for example).
Antonyms are direct opposites in meaning, as hot and cold; white and black.
With homonyms, the following set of to, too, and two are all pronounced exactly alike, but by no means are they interchangeable in writing. To be sure that you choose the correct spelling for any on these, you must know the meanings of all three so you will not make wrong choices with a feeling of vagueness and uncertainty.
Efforts have been made to help you grasp the meanings of these and other words that may be confusing so you can utilize them with greater accuracy in your communication.
Your comments and suggestions are always welcome by writing to: E-mail Contact (just click it for an e-mail form) or by typing, [email protected], as the address in your e-mail heading.
If you have any problems understanding the pronunciation symbols, go to this Pronunciation Chart for clarifications.
The teacher was sure that she must confirm the rules of the playground which expect the children to conform to the policy of not throwing baseballs when they are not in the park.
The student who appeared to be from a foreign country worked hard to be seen as a conformer to campus life.
The head of the dormitory where he lived acted as a confirmer to this impression.
The final task for the congregation of English language specialists was to complete the conjugation of several verbs in Modern and Old English.
2. The set of associations implied by a word in addition to its literal meaning: The word "childlike" has a connotation of innocence or of being a pest.
The meaning of the denotation on the chart appeared to be unequivocal; however, the connotations were apparently unlimited.
When I see the photograph of the soldiers, it will always connote my ancestors. To them, serving in the military was a way to denote heroism and valor.
Arnold was still fully conscious after the local anesthetic was administered.
Conscience is the voice some people never hear until they are caught doing something wrong; while truly conscientious people are those whose consciences tell them to do the right thing even when they are conscious that they won't get caught.
The successive position of the monarchy was orderly and uninterrupted.
The heraldry of each monarch in the Great Hall was arranged in consecutive order.
Some say many jobs will be lost as a consequence of the trade agreement.
Weather forecasters predict heavy rains and the flooding consequents that will result.
The consequence of the conference on global warming was the recommendation that the weather forecasters play closer attention to the consequents of heavy rainfall and melting glaciers
Subsequent to the announcement of the resignation of the president, the consequent action of the elected representatives was to elect someone to replace him on a temporary basis.
As a Conservative among the conservative members of the city, Preston voted to support the conservation measures before the parliament which would help to conserve the wild life in the parks.
The console for Elvira's home entertainment system had been personally designed for her by a cabinet maker.
To console herself for the loss of her favorite cat, Caroline bought a home console which included a TV, a DVD, and a CD player which included built in speakers and a remote control for changing the various functions.
The chairperson of the meeting announced that given the consonance among the members present regarding the diacritical markings for consonants, he recommended that they adjourn for some refreshments.
The construction of the skyscraper started with much ceremony and many speeches.
The company had a contract authorizing the complete destruction of the old building, to make way for the new skyscraper.
English is an interesting language; for example, the word raise means the construction of something; however the word raze means the destruction of something.
Virgil is content that the content of this dictionary is as complete as it can be.
The controversial subject of the public forum proved to be contentious among both the academics and the lay people who attended.