Distinct means clearly apparent, discrete, separate, or obvious. A distinct improvement in giving helped many families last year. Distinctive means distinguished or standing out as different. Hayward’s distinctive voice has won the band many fans.
Category: Confusing Words
Difference between Dissatisfied and Unsatisfied
Dissatisfied means not satisfied and has a critical connotation. They were dissatisfied with the food and service at the diner. Unsatisfied also means not satisfied, but doesn’t necessarily imply criticism. His hunger was unsatisfied despite the large meal he ate.
Difference between Displace and Misplace
Displace means to shift, change, or move. Last summer the raging floods displaced many residents. Misplace means to lose something or put it in the wrong place. It’s easy to misplace a punctuation mark in a complex sentence.
Difference between Dispense with and Dispose of
Dispense with means to do without something. We would like to dispense with all the unnecessary paperwork. Dispose of means to get rid of something. Where can I properly dispose of the used oil and paint thinner?
Difference between Disparage and Disparate
Disparage means to criticize or belittle someone. His comment was not meant to disparage a nice guy like Ed. Disparate means different or distinct in quality or kind. The local charity event brought many disparate people together.
Difference between Disorientated and Disoriented
Disoriented, meaning to feel displaced, is the preferred spelling. Lori felt groggy and disoriented after her long flight.
Difference between Disorganized and Unorganized
Disorganized means thrown into disorder or disarray. We have never seen a dormitory room so disorganized. Unorganized means not yet organized or lacking order. Though the league started last year, it still appears unorganized.
Difference between Disinterested and Uninterested
Disinterested means impartial, neutral, objective, or unbiased. We chose Maria as a disinterested third party to decide our fate. Uninterested means bored, indifferent, or simply not interested. Despite Tom’s elaborate proposal, his boss remains uninterested in the project.
Difference between Disingenuous, Ingenious and Ingenuous
Disingenuous means devious, dishonest, or pretending. He’s being rather disingenuous, saying the computer runs well. Ingenious means clever, imaginative, or original. Art developed an ingenious solution to the hardware problem. Ingenuous means candid, honest, or innocent. Jill and Rick have an open, ingenuous manner that people like.
Difference between Disinformation and Misinformation
Disinformation refers to deliberately misleading information. The competition gave us disinformation about their products. Misinformation refers to incorrect information. The paper printed misinformation about the concert dates.
Difference between Disenfranchise and Disfranchise
Disfranchise is preferred in American usage.
Difference between Discriminate and Distinguish
Discriminate means to perceive differences and use that perception to make a judgment. The players could not discriminate between a good golf hole and a bad one. Distinguish means to recognize qualities or features of a thing that make it different from others. The groundskeeper could easily distinguish bent grass and Kentucky blue grass.