Rebuff means to snub or reject someone. We offered to help with the cleanup, but he rebuffed us. Rebut means to argue against something. Unless the board rebuts the proposal, the idea is accepted. Refute means to prove something is false. The defense team refuted much of the earlier testimony. Repudiate means to reject or […]
Difference between Rebound and Redound
Rebound means to bounce or spring back. The company’s stock price rebounded after the news hit. Redound means to contribute or lead to something. Her exceptional performance redounds to the company’s benefit.
Difference between Ravage and Ravish
Ravage means to destroy or devastate something. Fires continued to ravage the western states for many weeks. Ravish means to carry off by force or overwhelm with emotion. In the novel, the king’s daughter was ravished by her captors. The beauty of the Canadian sunset ravished the travelers.
Difference between Raucous and Ruckus
Raucous, an adjective, means loud or rambunctious. It’s not unusual for them to throw a raucous party once a month. Ruckus, a noun, means a fight, disturbance, or commotion. Authorities are more interested in stopping the ruckus than in finding the culprit.
Difference between Rational and Rationale
Rational, an adjective, means having or exercising the ability to reason. Is it rational to believe that life exists on other planets? Rationale, a noun, refers to an explanation or basic reason. We do not understand the rationale for selling the business.
Rarely ever
Avoid this phrase. Just use rarely by itself. Rarely (not rarely ever) do we hire someone without a degree.
Difference between Rare and Unprecedented
Rare means uncommon or unusual. Exposure to uranium is a rare cause of lung cancer. Unprecedented means without previous example. They faced a refugee crisis on an unprecedented scale.
Difference between Rapt and Wrapped
Rapt means carried away or wholly absorbed. They watched the mine rescue with rapt attention. Wrapped means to bundle, cover, or enclose. “A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.”—Benjamin Franklin
Rapport vs Rapore
Rapport, meaning a friendly relationship in which people understand each other very well, is the correct word. While rapore is not a word.
Difference between Rancor and Ranker
Rancor refers to long-lasting bitterness or hatred. The explosive testimony brought even more courtroom rancor. Ranker refers to a person with an official position or grade. The paper says he was only a middle ranker and not a senior military leader.
Difference between Rack and Wrack
Rack and wrack both mean to strain or torment. Prefer rack. We are racking our brains to remember the name of that song.
Difference between Rabble rouser and Rebel rouser
Rabble rouser, an agitator, is the correct expression. The phrase first appeared in England in the mid-19th century as a combination of rabble and rouse. A group of rabble rousers disrupted the football game.