ADVERTISEMENT

Has someone ever told you that you used a wrong word? Well, you're not alone. Many people confuse terms without even knowing it. You might think that it's usually the English language learners who get the names of concepts or objects all mixed up, but it's not unusual for native speakers to get tangled up in misconceptions too.

The truth is, some terms seem so synonymous that people don't even bother to look them up. So, if you ever find yourself in an argument whether muffins have icing or whether tofu and panner are the same thing, it might mean that you need to do some research. But no worries. This time we've got you covered. Inspired by a Scoop Whoop post we dug around and collected some of the most confusing words to explain the differences between them.

Check out if you've made any of these mistakes and let us know in the comments.

(h/t)

RELATED:
    #4

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    PublicDomainPictures , Foto-Rabe Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    athornedrose
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    or as we were taught, poisonous: hurts if you bite it, venomous: hurts if it bites you.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #8

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    Pexels , pen_ash Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Lucida
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    In my language (Swedish) both have the same name but with "land" and "water" at the beginning of the word, like "waterturtle" and "landturtle".

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #10

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    Alaska Fisheries Science Center , GFDL&CC Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Marlene Riethmüller
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    had been told 'shrimp' is used more in American English, while 'prawn' is favoured in British English

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #20

    Commonly Misused Words

    adege , Hans Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Lizard Queen
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." - Terry Pratchett

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #22

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    Luctheo , Annca Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Hans
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This does not really belong here, does it? A champagne is still a sparkling wine, so technically it is a specialisation, not two thing that are confused but essentially are different.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #23

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    Stanze , Skeeze Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Neeraj Jha
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Their expression say that they are disappointed in you that you didn't know this.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #25

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    Linda De Volder , Dmitry Dzhus Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Hans
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Do not tell this to all this alternative right movements who claim that there are certain "people" native to places, and that their intermingling with other "races" will weaken the national identity. We may form nations and e may come from different ethnicies, but we are all humans!

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #26

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    seagul , mareke Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Rue Granger
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "I never know... What's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?" "Stalagmite has an 'm' in it"

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #27

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    earth247woman , Illuvis Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Cactuar Jon
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How do people not know the difference between a butterfly and a moth???

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #28

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    willems_87 , Nahal08 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    N G
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What do you call a Gorilla that has a Banana stuck in each ear ? Answer: Anything you like..... because he can't hear you

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #30

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    Ben_Kerckx , fsHH Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Rue Granger
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm not sure about everyone else, but I'm pretty sure people know this. Right? Or is it just me?

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #31

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    BubbleJuice , kathydetweiler Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Dian Ella Lillie
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I did a Masters and a PhD in anurans. The distinction between 'frogs' and 'toads is arbitary. Not all dryish anurans are short-leggedish, or smoothish, or stringy-eggedish, and not all mucussy anurans are the obverse in one or more of those characteristics. The notion of frogs versus toads is simply a gradient of perceptions with no biological significance. And the teeth thing that another commernter claimed is a nonsense...

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #32

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    NickRivers , webandi Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Dian Ella Lillie
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wasps can be pollinators - there are many species of orchids whose flower structures are predicated on exactly this fact. Look it up.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #34

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    GLady , Dennis Candy Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Neeraj Jha
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I am not sure about this.. The one on the right is also eaten as a fruit in my natives.. It's more like a different variety of Banana..

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #35

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    Wounds_and_Cracks , Couleur Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Mary-Jane Scharnick
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    in S.A the tangerines are called naartjies. pronounced 'nar-chies' . think it comes from the Afrikaans language.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #36

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    SofieZborilova , MartinStr Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Dian Ella Lillie
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Like other differences on this list, the distinctions are arbitrary and not consistent. There is not biological difference between kangaroos and wallabies, save size, and small kangaroos and be smaller than large wallabies. Some wallaby species are distinctly plain in colour. My bona fides? I'm a biologist, with three species of macropod that that come out to graze on my paddocks every night.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #37

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    Alexas_Fotos , Glavo Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Cactuar Jon
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Rats are amazing, intelligent creatures and it's about time people stopped being scarred of them and start educating themselves about them. They deserve respect.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #39

    Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

    RitaE , Mooss Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Neeraj Jha
    Community Member
    6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I thought it's more of US/UK thing. UK calls it biscuits while US cookies.. no?

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu