8 (more) commonly misunderstood words

‘Less’ or ‘fewer’? ‘Jealousy’ or ‘envy’? Readers weigh in on these great word debates, and more.

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In a previous post, I shared eight words with unclear meanings. On the list were: “averse,” “poisonous” and “comprise,” among other. At the end of the post, I asked PR Daily readers to share their commonly misunderstood words. Here are some of those responses, plus a few more confusing terms:

1. “Jealousy: Worry someone is taking what you have. Envy: Wanting what someone else has.”

2. “The trick for less or fewer: You have less coffee, but fewer cups of coffee.”

3. “People often misuse ‘presently’ when they mean ‘currently’ or ‘at present.’ Presently means ‘soon,’ not ‘at this moment.'”

4. “‘Condone’ does not mean ‘approve of,’ it means merely to overlook or passively allow.”

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