25 Words You Think Are Synonyms but Aren’t

Stalwart/stubborn

Here’s an example of two words that aren’t true synonyms, though they do overlap in certain ways. Both stalwart and stubborn describe a state of being unmovable. Whereas stalwart has a positive connotation (someone who is stalwart is steady and reliable), stubborn connotes a negative judgment (being stubborn implies some level of ignorance along with the steadiness).

Obtuse/abstruse

Some people say obtuse when they mean abstruse. This is an unfortunate word confusion because obtuse is an insult—it means dim-witted. By contrast, abstruse refers to something that is difficult to understand in general. To put it another way, just because you have trouble understanding an abstruse concept doesn’t mean you’re obtuse.

Discriminatory/prejudicial

While these two cover some of the same ground (both are adverbs describing actions that are harmful), discriminatory describes an action that is harmful because it unfairly draws a distinction between different categories of people or things (such as age, race, religion or gender). Prejudicial generally describes an action that is harmful.

Infertile/sterile

One who is infertile (having difficulty conceiving a child) might or might not be sterile (incapable of conceiving a child). One who is sterile, however, will always be infertile.

Factoid/trivia

The oid in factoid can make the word factoid appear to mean a small fact, such as a bit of trivia. However, the suffix -oid actually means something that resembles something else. In other words, factoids merely resemble facts—they aren’t facts at all. In fact, factoids are false facts.

Deceptively/actually

The problem with the word deceptively is that it’s a bit deceptive, so to speak. In other words, it could mean one thing as well as that thing’s opposite. So while you may be using the correct vocabulary, technically, your audience may not understand what you actually mean.

Still with us? For example, if you describe a house as “deceptively small,” you may mean that it’s quite the opposite of small even though it might appear small. But the person you’re talking to may believe that you’re saying the house is smaller than it appears.

Belies/disguises (and betrays)

Like deceptively, the word belies causes confusion because it has two meanings that mean the opposite of each other. According to the dictionary, belie is a verb that means to disguise or give a false impression.

For example, you may be using a smile to belie your lying eyes, while some people use belie to mean “betray,” as in “your eyes belie the malice beneath your smile.” This latter use is common, so it’s difficult to know what someone means when they write or say belies instead of disguises or betrays.

Religion/ethnicity

These two share some overlap, but this is an example of words that aren’t true synonyms and can’t necessarily be used interchangeably. Your religion refers to your system of belief or worship in a higher power of some kind. Your ethnicity, on the other hand, refers to your culturally defined identity.

Bisexual/pansexual

The words bisexual and pansexual both refer to a fluidity in one’s sexual orientation. But bisexual is defined as being attracted to both men and women. The word, therefore, presumes that there are only two genders. The definition of pansexual is being attracted to both men and women as well as people who identify as no gender or some other gender.

Averse/adverse

While related in origin, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, these are words that aren’t true synonyms and should not be substituted for each other. Whereas adverse describes something that is harmful or unfavorable (such as an adverse effect of a drug), averse refers to a negative feeling about something.

Historic/historical

Historic means an important event, whereas historical refers to something that happened in the past. Think of it this way: Not all historical events are historic.

Unique/special

When you tell someone you think they’re unique, you’re telling them they are one of a kind—and you can tell because of the uni- at the beginning, which is Latin for “one of a kind.” Technically speaking, every person on earth is unique. If what you’re actually trying to say is that this person is important to you—or unusual or fascinating—go with the word special.

Cause/compel

If you wish to cause something to happen, you can compel it, which means using force or pressure. Or you can be more gentle, using influence, prompting or even provocation. In other words, these words overlap, but they are words that aren’t true synonyms. You wouldn’t want to compel something when causing it would be adequate.

Redundant/repetitive

In the U.K., people who get fired from their jobs will often be told that they’ve been made redundant. If you think this word means “repetitive,” then you’ll understandably be scratching your head. The real meaning of redundant is “superfluous” or “unnecessary.” Make sense now?

Introverted/shy

These two different personality characteristics are often confused but definitely do not mean the same thing. Someone who is shy experiences discomfort when meeting new people, but someone who is introverted recharges their personal energy through individual pursuits such as reading or thinking.

Capacious/large

Whereas capacious refers only to the size of an empty space capable of being filled, large can refer to something having a lot of space inside it or something capable of filling that space.

Well/good

When people say “it’s all well and good,” their words are not actually redundant. That’s because well and good cover different ground. Well describes actions; good describes things. So you can sing well, but it’s even better if the song is good.

Will/shall

We will clear up this confusion once and for all, and hopefully, you shall pay heed:

• The word shall implies something that must be done. In other words, think of shall and compel in the same way.
• The word will is often used to imply what must be done; it is more correctly used to refer to a prediction of what is going to happen at a future point.

Can/may

Surely you had this lecture in elementary school when you asked your teacher, “Can I go to the bathroom?” She likely responded with, “Yes, you can. Now ask, ‘May I go?'” Use the word can to refer to what is possible, and the word may to indicate what is permissible.

Obsolete/obsolescent

When something is obsolete, it’s out of date or out of use; if it’s obsolescent, it’s in the process of becoming out of date or out of use. So what is obsolescent today may well be obsolete tomorrow.

Innocent/acquitted

In the U.S. justice system, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. But in the courtroom, just because someone is not proven guilty doesn’t necessarily mean he or she is innocent. Being acquitted means that one has not been proven guilty in a court of law. Being innocent means being blameless. It is entirely possible to be blameworthy even if one is acquitted.

Convicted/guilty

Just because you’re guilty of wrongdoing does not mean that you’ll be convicted in a court of law, and one who is convicted may or may not be guilty. In fact, one who has been convicted may continue to proclaim his or her innocence. The word convicted simply refers to what a court of law has ruled with regard to one’s wrongdoing.

Guilt/shame

When you do something bad, should you feel guilt? Or should you feel shame? According to a Frontiers study of psychological terms that people often get wrong, “shame is a global negative evaluation of the self in the wake of a behavior,” whereas “guilt is a specific negative evaluation of the behavior, itself.” (As in, “I did a bad thing.”)

Therefore, as Pepperdine University professor Steven Sultanoff, PhD, puts it, with shame, you think “I did something bad, which makes me a bad person,” but with guilt, you think “I did something bad, but I’m still a good person.”

Amicable/amiable

Amicable refers to a friendliness or goodwill between people or groups. Amiable refers to one person’s friendly disposition. A group might have an amicable meeting because the people there are amiable.

Anticipate/expect

Both of these words involve a prediction of future events. However, expecting something to happen is not the same as anticipating it will happen, so these are words that aren’t true synonyms. When we expect something, it reflects our state of mind. When we anticipate something, we are already preparing for what we expect will happen.

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Sources:

• Jessi Hoffman: “How NOT to Use a Thesaurus—the Problem of Wrong Connotation”
• Oxford English Dictionary
• Frontiers: “50 Differences That Make a Difference: A Compendium of Frequently Confused Term Pairs in Psychology”
• Steven M. Sultanoff, PhD, licensed psychologist and mirthologist