Homophones and Frequently Confusing Words (M-Z)

1. Magnate: Entrepreneur, tycoon, industrialist Magnet: Attraction, draw, lure 2. Maize: A corn Maze: Net 3. Mannequin: Dummy, model

Manikin/Mannikin: A little man, dwarf, a model of the human body for teaching anatomy

4. Mantel: A construction framing the opening of a fireplace and usually

covering part of the chimney breast in a more or less decorative manner Mantle: Layer, blanket, covering 5. Marten: Any of several slender, chiefly arboreal carnivores of the genus

Martes, of northern forests, having a long, glossy coat and bushy tail Martin: Any of several swallow having a deeply forked tail and long,

pointed wings 6. Masterful: Authoritative, dominating, powerful Masterly: Like a master, very skillful 7. Mead: Grass field Meed: A reward or recompense 8. Mean: Denote, signify, base Mien: Appearance, bearing, expression 9. Medal: A token of reward Meddle: To interfere, intervene 10. Mediate: Arbitrate, intercede, referee Meditate: Contemplate, ponder, and think 11. Meet: Get together, assemble Mete (out): To provide to distribute, allot 12. Mendacity: False words, dishonesty, deceit Mendicity: Begging 13. Metal: Solid substance Mettle: Courage, forbearance

14. Mitigate: To lessen punishment/violence Alleviate: To lessen pain/suffering Remove/Relieve: To wipe out 15. Moat: A deep, wide trench, usually filled with water, surrounding the

rampart of a fortified place, as a town or a castle Mote: A small particle of speck, especially of dust Motte: A grove or clump of trees in prairie land or open country 16. Momentary: Brief, fleeting, transitory Momentous: Important, significant, and historic 17. Moral: Sense of right or wrong, ethical Morale: Courage, confidence, condition of mind 18. Motive: Reason, cause Motif: Design, pattern, image 19. Mystical: Spiritual, magical, supernatural Mythical: Legendary, fabulous, and mythological

20. Navvy: An unskilled manual labor Savvy: Understanding

21. Necessaries: Life saving needs Necessities: Indispensable, unavoidable

22. Negligence (Noun): Habitual avoiding, carelessness

Negligent (Adjective): Avoiding work/things Negligible: Unimportant, insignificant Neglectful: Disregardful 23. Notable: Remarkable Notorious: Infamous, disreputable Noticeable: Distinct, clear, and visible

24. Noxious: Harmful, poisonous, toxic Obnoxious: Contemptible, hateful 25. Obsequious: Flattering, fawning, sycophantic Obsession: Fixation, fascination 26. Observation: Watchfulness, comment, inspection Observance: Ceremony, rite 27. Official: Of the office

Officious: Bossy, bureaucratic, obliging, dutiful 28. Offset: To compensate, to balance, counterbalance, make up for Upset: Distress, trouble 29. Omit: Leave out, skip Emit: Release, give off 30. Ordinance: Decree, order, rule Ordnance: Weapons, artillery, arms Ordonnance: The arrangement or disposition of parts, as of a building,

picture, or literary work 31. Orthodox: Believing in established rule Paradox: Inconsistency, irony, contradiction 32. Outcast: Cast out, as from one’s home or society, homeless wanderer Outcaste: A person who has left or been expelled from his or her caste,

casteless 33. Overlook: To ignore or miss Oversee: To supervise, manage 34. Paean: Anthem, praise, hymn

Paeon: In quantitative verse, a foot of one long and three short syllables in any order

Peon: Laborer, peasant, attendant 35. Pair: Twin Pare: Peel, skin, slice, cut 36. Palate: Taste, relish, appetite Palette: A thin or usually oval or oblong board or tablet with a thumb

hole at one end, used by painters for holding and mixing colors Pallet: Platform 37. Parricide: Killing one’s relative Patricide: Killing your own father 38. Parvenu: A person meteorically rising to power and pelf Avenue: Road, path, opportunity, field 39. Passable: Okay, acceptable, sufficient, drivable Passing: Transitory, short-lived, brief 40. Pastel: Light, neutral, pale

Pastille: Pill, tablet 41. Pedal: Handle, knob, switch, a foot-operated lever Peddle: Sell illicitly, market, advertise, to deal out, hawk Peddler: Dealer, supplier 42. Peer: Gaze, stare Pier: Dock, berth, tie-up Peerless: Unique, superior, unequaled 43. Pendant: Ornament, jewelry, adornment Pendent: Hanging 44. Perpetrate: To commit, carry out Perpetuate: To continue, complete 45. Persecute: To harass, maltreat Prosecute: To put on trial, take legal action 46. Personal: Private Personnel: Workers, staff, employees 47. Personate: To act for someone Impersonate: Mimic, imitate, ape Personify: Exemplify, represent, characterize 48. Perspective: Point of view, perception Prospective: Potential, likely 49. Perspicacious: Insightful, wise Perspicuous: Clear, unambiguous 50. Perverse: Wicked, bad, mean Perverted: Changed, misused, misrepresented, distorted 51. Pitiable: Pathetic, miserable Pitiful: Disgraceful, contemptible Piteous: Sad, distressing, and heartbreaking 52. Plaintiff: Petitioner, applicant, claimant Plaintive: Mournful, sad 53. Plausible: Reasonable, credible Probable: More likely Possible: Likely

54. Polite: Well-mannered, courteous Politic: Diplomatic, prudent, wise 55. Popular: Eminent, famous Populous: Crowded, packed Populace: Lay people, general public, common people 56. Pore: Hole, minute opening Pour: Decant, dispense 57. Practical: Sensible, realistic Practicable: Fit to be put in practice, feasible 58. Pray: To beg, plead Prey: Victim 59. Precede: To come first, lead Proceed: Go on, carry on, and continue 60. Precipitate: Impulsive, sudden, rash Precipitous: Steep, abrupt 61. Premise: Basis, principle Premises: Building, location, boundary 62. Prescribe: To fix, to order, to recommend Proscribe: Ban, make illegal, to outlaw 63. Presumptive: Likely Presumptuous: Arrogant, bigheaded, rash 64. Pristine: Perfect, faultless, pure Philistine: Materialistic, unpolished, and rude 65. Profuse: Excessive, plentiful Profess: Admit, own, confess, to declare 66. Prophecy (noun): Prediction, forecast Prophesy (verb): To predict, divine 67. Protagonist: Main character, leading role Antagonist: Opponent, rival 68. Provident: Visionary, prophetic, foreseeing Providential (Adjective): Fortunate, lucky, beneficial Providence (Noun): Fate, chance, luck

69. Purposely: Deliberately, intentionally Purposefully: With determination, firmly, with a purpose 70. Quaint: Excessive, plentiful Queer: Admit, own, and confess, to declare 71. Radical: Fundamental, essential Radicle: The lower part of the axis of an embryo, the primary root 72. Raise: To lift up Rise: Go up, climb, and increase Raze: Destroy, demolish 73. Recollect: To try to remember again Remember: To keep in memory 74. Recourse: Option, alternative Resource: Reserve, supply 75. Recumbent: Reclining, lying down Incumbent: Present office holder 76. Reference: Mention, allusion Reverence: Respect, admiration 77. Refuge: Shelter, protection Refugee: Immigrant, person in exile

Refuse: Decline, reject Refute: Rebut, contest, counter

78. Regret: Be sorry, be apologetic Sorrow: Grief, mourning, sadness 79. Regretful: Repentant, sorry, apologetic Regrettable: Unfortunate, a pity, undesirable 80. Relay: Communicate, pass on, convey Relate: To tell, narrate 81. Repeal: Cancel, revoke, abolish Repel: Keep away, keep at bay Rebel: Rebel, insurgent Revolt: Uprising, insurgency 82. Rest: Relax, respite

Wrest: Extort, extract, squeeze 83. Restless: Uneasy, anxious Restive: Discontented, rebellious 84. Restrain: Hold back Restrict: To put under limit 85. Retain: To keep hold of, hold on to Sustain: To continue, carry on 86. Reverend: Priest, monk, cleric Reverent: Worshipful, respectful, and awed 87. Review: Appraisal, evaluation, analysis Revue: Variety show, extravaganza, spectacular 88. Revulsion: Sudden violent change of feeling Repulsion: Dislike, act of repelling 89. Rightly: Correctly Rightfully: Lawfully, legally Righteously: Virtuously 90. Ring: Circle Wring: To squeeze, twist, compress 91. Rhyme: Poetry, assonance Rime: Frost, ice 92. Rout: Tumult, disorder, riot Route: Way, road, course, direction 93. Sanatory: Favorable for health, curative Sanitary: Hygienic, clean 94. Satire: Send-up, spoof, sarcasm, mockery, skit, parody Satyr: A lascivious man, lecher, one of a class of woodland deities,

attendant on Bacchus, represented as part human, part horse, and sometimes part goat noted for riotousness and lasciviousness

95. Scatter: To spread over a wide area, distribute at irregular intervals Spread: To draw, stretch, or open out especially over a flat surface Sprinkle: To spray, dust, drop

96. Sceptre: Royal or imperial power or authority, a rod or wand borne in the hand as an emblem of regal or imperial power

Spectre: Ghost, phantom, apparition 97. Scrabble: To scratch or scrape, as with the claws or hands Scramble: To jumble, mix up, to compete to get something 98. Scull: Paddle, row, propel, either of a pair of oars Skull: Head, scalp, the bony framework of the head 99. Seasonable: According to season Season: Weather, to use flavor, to expose to weather Seasoning: A substance assed to increase flavor Seasoned: Experienced, veteran 100. Sere: Faded Seer: One who sees future Shear: To cut off, trim Sheer: Pure, utter, absolute, complete 101. Sergeant: A non-commissioned army officer of a rank above that of

corporal Surgent: Rising, swelling, as a flood 102. Sensuous: Perceived by or affecting the senses Sensual: Of the body, pertaining to or preoccupied with the gratification

of the senses or appetites, fleshly Sensible: Logical, just, and cognizant Sensitive: Emotional, touchy, and delicate 103. Sequel: Follow-up, continuation, order leading to conclusion Sequence: Series, succession, order 104. Servitude: Slavery Servility: Slavishly submissive, humility 105. Sestet: The last six lines of a sonnet Sextet: Any group or set of six, a company of six singers or players 106. Sew: Stitch, seam, hem Sow: Spread, propagate, implant 107. Shabby: Untidy, mean, and unfair Shaggy: Hairy, bushy, unkempt 108. Shade: Protected from sun, dark

Shadow: Silhouette, reflection of an object 109. Shiftless: Lazy, idle, lacking energy Shifty: Suspicious, dubious, and dishonest 110. Shirty: Angry, bad-tempered, irritable Shitty: Inferior, unpleasant, miserable 111. Significance: Importance Signification: Meaning, gist 112. Simulate: To replicate, reproduce, imitate Dissimulate: To disguise or conceal under a false appearance 113. Slight: Small in amount, degree Sleight: Skill, dexterity, craft 114. Social: Of the society Sociable: Friendly, outgoing, cordial 115. Sooth: Truth, reality, or fact Soothe: To pacify, comfort, tranquilize, calm 116. Spacious: Vast, boundless, large, airy Specious: Untrue, deceptive, and false 117. Spiritual: Sacred, religious Spirituous: Alcoholic, intoxicative 118. Spoor: A track or trail, especially that of a wild animal pursued as game Spore: A walled, single- to many-celled, reproductive body of an

organism, germ, germ cell, seed, or the like 119. Stable: Firm, steady Staple: Clip, fastener, nail 120. Stationary: Motionless, still Stationery: Writing paper, writing materials 121. Stimulant: Refreshment, tonic Stimulus: Incentive, spur, motivation 122. Straight: Without delay, without bend Strait: Passage, channel, canal 123. Stultify: Deaden, dampen, blur

Stupefy: Astonish, astound, surprise 124. Substitute: Alternate, to take place temporarily Replace: To take place permanently 125. Superficial: Shallow, outward, on the surface Superfluous: Extra, surplus, more than required 126. Supplement: Addition, extra Supplant: Displace, replace, to step in the shoes of 127. Surplice: A loose fitting, broad-sleeved white vestment, worn over the

cassock by clergy and choristers Surplus: Extra, excess 128. Suspense: Tension, expectation, anxiety Suspend: Hang, swing, postpone, defer 129. Swoon: To faint, lose consciousness, collapse Swoop: Pounce, jump, leap 130. Temerity: Audacity, boldness Timidity: Nervousness, shyness 131. Temperance: Self-control, restraint Temperament: Nature, character, personality 132. Temporary: Momentary, fleeting Temporal: Chronological, of time, earthly 133. Testimony: Oral or written witness Evidence: Proof 134. Timely: Well-timed Opportune: Fitting, appropriate, apt, proper 135. Tolerable: Bearable, acceptable Tolerant: Broad-minded, liberal, open minded 136. Transcend: To rise above, go beyond the normal Transcendent: Inspiring, moving Transcendental: Mystical, beyond human knowledge 137. Transit: Transportation, shipment, transfer Transitory: Fleeting, passing, brief, momentary Transitional: Middle, in-between, halfway

Transient: Fleeting, passing, brief, temporary 138. Transpire: To become known, come to light, emerge, be revealed Happen: Occur, to take place 139. Triumphant: Successful, victorious Triumphal: Of pertaining to celebration 140. Truss: To tie securely, bind Truce: Ceasefire, peace, lull 141. Unqualified: Not able, incompetent, without qualifications Disqualified: Rejected 142. Vacation: Holiday, break, leave Vocation: Career, Profession 143. Vacuity: Nothingness, blankness, emptiness Vacuous: Stupid, unintelligent 144. Vain: Ineffective, hopeless, proud Vane: A device operating on wind Vein: Layer, seam, element, hint, streak 145. Vale: Valley, gorge Veil: Covering, blanket, mass 146. Venture: Scheme, gamble, project, risk Adventure: Escapade, journey 147. Venal: Open to bribery, greedy for money Venial: Able to be forgiven or pardoned, excusable, trifling, minor 148. Veracity: Reality, truth Voracity: Gluttony, greed, insatiability 149. Verbal: In words (written/spoken) Verbose: Wordy, long-winded, and garrulous Oral: Spoken, by word of mouth 150. Virtuous: Good, righteous Virtuoso: Expert, genius Virtual: Practical, fundamental 151. Villain: Bad character, scoundrel

Villein: a member of a class of partially free persons under the feudal system, who were serfs with respect to their lord but had the rights and privileges of freemen with respect to others

152. Waffle: Nonsense, rubbish, insensible Baffle: Confuse, perplex 153. Wave: To move freely, water ridges Waive: To give up, surrender, ignore 154. Weigh: To consider, ponder, to measure the weight Way: Means, technique, road Whey: Separated part of milk 155. Whet: To sharpen, hone Wet: Drenched, soaked 156. Whit: Small amount, bit Wit: Humor, intelligence 157. Wholesome: Healthy, nutritious Fulsome: Flattering, excessive, effusive, overgenerous 158. Willing: Eager, keen Willful: Headstrong, stubborn, and obstinate 159. Wistful: Reflective, thoughtful Wishful: Expressing wish for something 160. Womanly: Of a woman Womanish: Feminine, effeminate, sissyish 161. Wreath (noun): A garland, circlet, headdress Wreathe (verb): To cover, to adorn 162. Wreck: To destroy, ruin Wreak: To cause, inflict or execute, to take revenge 163. Yolk: The yellow and principal substance of an egg Yoke: Repression, burden, oppression