Commonly Confused Words, Grade 8: List 7

Learn the correct meanings and usages of these commonly confused words for eighth-grade students.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. grisly
    shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
    The Ares chariot was bloodred, and pulled by two grisly horse skeletons. The Sea of Monsters
    To see more usage examples of "grisly," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "grisly," "gristly" and "grizzly," click here.
  2. gristly
    difficult to chew
    She explains, “It’s most of a porterhouse steak. She only ate seven or eight bites. She said it was too gristly.” Landscape with Invisible Hand
    To see more usage examples of "gristly," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "grisly," "gristly" and "grizzly," click here.
  3. grizzly
    powerful brownish-yellow bear of western North America
    It was rare for a grizzly bear to attack a person. I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964
    To see more usage examples of "grizzly," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "grisly," "gristly" and "grizzly," click here.
  4. discreet
    not easily noticeable
    They were discreet, and even I didn’t notice them after a short while on the parade route. Proud
    To see more usage examples of "discreet," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "discreet" and "discrete," click here.
  5. discrete
    constituting a separate entity or part
    If you zoomed in close enough, you might see the dots as individual, discrete. The Gene
    To see more usage examples of "discrete," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "discreet" and "discrete," click here.
  6. empathy
    understanding and entering into another's feelings
    “Maybe it’s a way for you to become closer to her, to let her know you understand a very important part of who she is, to show your empathy.” I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
    To see more usage examples of "empathy," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "empathy" and "sympathy," click here.
  7. sympathy
    sharing the feelings of others, especially sorrow or anguish
    All I could do was hope my saddest possible stitched-up-lost-puppy-injury look might earn me some sympathy. Winger
    To see more usage examples of "sympathy," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "empathy" and "sympathy," click here.
  8. faze
    disturb the composure of
    You know you’ve been here for a while when weird stuff like that doesn’t even faze you. Amari and the Night Brothers
    To see more usage examples of "faze," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "faze" and "phase," click here.
  9. phase
    any distinct time period in a sequence of events
    The plan had three phases: dangerous, really dangerous, and insanely dangerous. The House of Hades
    To see more usage examples of "phase," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "faze" and "phase," click here.
  10. historic
    important in recorded time
    The fall of the Berlin Wall was a loud historic event that nobody missed. The World Is Flat
    To see more usage examples of "historic," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "historic" and "historical," click here.
  11. historical
    belonging to the past
    However, historians and historical scientists do make and test predictions about what future discoveries of data will show us about past events. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
    To see more usage examples of "historical," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "historic" and "historical," click here.
  12. hone
    refine or make more perfect or effective
    It is now your duty to hone that talent, because a person who wastes his God-given talents is a donkey. The Kite Runner
    To see more usage examples of "hone," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "hone" and "home," click here.
  13. home in
    direct onto a target, especially by navigational aids
    The rest homed in on Jason, wrapping him like a rodeo calf and yanking him upside down. The House of Hades
    To see more usage examples of "home," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "hone" and "home," click here.
  14. legislature
    an assembly that makes, amends, or repeals laws
    Tennessee governor Albert H. Roberts had called the state legislature into special session to consider whether to support the Nineteenth Amendment. Votes for Women!
    To see more usage examples of "legislature," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "legislature" and "legislator," click here.
  15. legislator
    someone who makes or enacts laws
    Among the legislators who took the oath of office was Jeannette Rankin of Montana, the first female member of Congress. Votes for Women!
    To see more usage examples of "legislator," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "legislature" and "legislator," click here.
  16. palate
    the surface of the mouth separating oral and nasal cavities
    Winnie was dazzling, and even the fact that she had never before tasted curry and drank glass after glass of water to cool her palate only added to her charm. Long Walk to Freedom
    To see more usage examples of "palate," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "palate," "palette" and "pallet," click here.
  17. palette
    range of color characteristic of a painting, artist, etc.
    The city’s range of colors, its palette, is similar to that of the Netherlands. Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers
    To see more usage examples of "palette," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "palate," "palette" and "pallet," click here.
  18. pallet
    a portable platform for storing or moving goods
    The supplies were stacked on large wooden pallets and stood as tall and wide as four homes in Kaunas. Between Shades of Gray
    To see more usage examples of "pallet," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "palate," "palette" and "pallet," click here.
  19. simple
    having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
    At this point, because of reading comic books, my English had improved to a level where I could read simple sentences. Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography
    To see more usage examples of "simple," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "simple" and "simplistic," click here.
  20. simplistic
    characterized by extreme and misleading lack of complexity
    Figure 1.77 contains a few very simplistic examples of how these "road map signs" will work. Understanding Basic Music Theory
    To see more usage examples of "simplistic," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "simple" and "simplistic," click here.
  21. statue
    a sculpture representing a human or animal
    An enormous stone statue of the Buddha sat cross-legged and serene near one wall of the cave. A Wish in the Dark
    To see more usage examples of "statue," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "statue" and "statute," click here.
  22. statute
    an act passed by a legislative body
    He was familiar with the state’s statutes and was completely capable of trying a case in court. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
    To see more usage examples of "statute," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "statue" and "statute," click here.
  23. undo
    cancel, annul, or reverse an action or its effect
    “If you could go back, if you could undo what you did to me, would you?” Six of Crows
    To see more usage examples of "undo," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "undo" and "undue," click here.
  24. undue
    not appropriate or proper in the circumstances
    This she takes an undue length of time to unfold and scan. The Handmaid's Tale
    To see more usage examples of "undue," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "undo" and "undue," click here.
Created on Wed Feb 28 16:31:10 EST 2024 (updated Mon Mar 04 09:30:54 EST 2024)

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