10 Commonly Misused Words That Make Even Smart People Look Uneducated
Make sure you're using vocabulary words properly, or everyone will know that you're faking your intelligence.
Dean Drobot | Shutterstock There are different ways to be smart, as Harvard psychologist Dr. Howard Gardner proposed in 1983 with his theory of multiple intelligences. Gardner believed that there were 8 distinct types of intelligence, including visual-spatial, logical-mathematical, and linguistic-verbal.
People who exhibit strong linguistic-verbal intelligence are strong writers and speakers. They're able to explain concepts clearly and can hold their own in an intellectual debate. Their strengths include reading and remembering written or spoken information.
Yet intelligent people can misspeak, and there are many commonly misused words that make even smart people look uneducated. While most people will be able to infer what you mean if you use a word incorrectly, it's still valuable to know the reasons why a word is used in a specific way.
Here are 10 commonly misused words that make even smart people look uneducated
1. Ironic
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One example of an extremely misused word that makes even smart people look uneducated is the word "ironic." The word ironic is used to describe situations or interactions that hold irony.
There are various definitions of irony. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines irony as "incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result." Irony can also be "the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning."
Irony is used often in literature. Verbal irony is when someone says something that differs from what they mean, intend, or what the situation requires. Situational irony happens when someone's intentions and actions produce an opposite and unintended result. Dramatic irony is used when a character in a story or book is denied a piece of information that's crucial to the plot.
People who misuse the word "ironic" usually use it when they mean something is coincidental. The most lyrically-famous incident of misusing the word "ironic" comes to pop culture courtesy of Alanis Morissette, whose song "Ironic" was actually just a list of coincidences.
While "ironic" is often used in a more flexible fashion than its true meaning stipulates, it's high on the list of commonly misused words that make even smart people look uneducated.
2. Effect
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Another commonly misused word that makes even smart people look uneducated is the word "effect." People often confuse "effect" and "affect," especially when they're trying to seem more intelligent than they really are.
"Effect" means to accomplish something, while "affect" means to influence someone or something. "Effect" can also be used as a noun, meaning the result of something. People can be affected by changes to their job. They can effect change at work by standing up to their toxic boss or refusing to take part in workplace bullying.
3. Except
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"Except" indicates exclusion, such as, "I don't have many dietary restrictions, I eat everything except gluten." It's a commonly misused word, as it sounds extremely similar to the word "accept." To accept something is to receive it, as in, "I accept your proposal and I want to get married standing in a river."
While these words sound the same, they don't mean anything near the same thing, which is why misusing them can make even smart people look uneducated.
4. Lay
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"Lay" is an example of a word that's often misused. If you want to show off your superior intelligence, make sure you're using it in the correct context.
The word "lay" means to put something down, while the word "lie" means to recline. In order to properly use the word "lay," it requires an associated object. You can lie down all on your own, but you have to lay the clothes onto the drying rack after you've finished washing them.
The word "lay" is also past tense for the word "lie," as in, "I lay down in bed for all of last weekend."
5. Farther
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Another commonly confused set of words are "farther" and "further." One should use "farther" when they're talking about physical distance, like saying that the store is farther from their house than they pictured it was.
"Further" is used to describe metaphorical or additional distance, along with the degree or extent of a situation or action. "We drove further than I thought" is an example of using the world in the correct context.
6. Than
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The word "than" is commonly misused in a way that can make people appear like they don't actually know what they're talking about. While some people like to let others know how smart they are, truly smart people tend to have an element of humility about their own level of intelligence. However, using "than" when you mean "then" is a surefire sign that you're just pretending to be smart.
"Than" is used for comparing two objects or situations, and "then" refers to time. While it seems simple, these words are often mixed up, making even smart people look uneducated.
7. Complement
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"Complement" is a word that sounds exactly like the word "compliment," but means something else altogether.
When someone gives you a compliment, it means they like your style or appreciate your hard work. If someone compliments you, the correct response is to accept it graciously and say, "thank you," without qualifying yourself. Don't say, "Oh, thanks, but it was nothing," which is a way to dismiss your own impact and demean your own sense of self-worth.
The word "complement" is used to mean something that completes or accompanies something else well, like, "This grape jelly really complements the peanut butter sandwich I'm eating."
8. Fewer
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Another tough word to figure out how to use in the correct context is the word "fewer," versus the word "less."
People should use the word "fewer" with nouns that can be counted, like, "There were three fewer eggs in the carton than earlier." The word "less" should be used with uncountable nouns, like, "We got way less rain than the weather forecast predicted."
If you can figure out how to use "fewer" in its proper form, you'll highly impress the people around you, especially co-workers, so much so that they might even see you as the most highly intelligent person in the office.
9. Bemused
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The word "bemused" is also commonly misused, to the point where even smart people look uneducated. "Bemused" might sound like the word "amused," but they actually mean two very different things.
If a person is bemused, it means they're confused or befuddled, baffled or dazed. If someone is amused, it means they're highly entertained, as in, "I was so amused at the way you mistakenly used the word bemused."
10. Irregardless
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The word "irregardless" is so commonly misused, it's almost become an accepted part of the English lexicon. Yet in reality, the word "irregardless" is nonstandard, meaning it's totally wrong. When people say "irregardless" when they actually mean "regardless," it can make even smart people appear completely uneducated. The correct use of the word is to just say "regardless," which means "without regard."
If you want people to know exactly how intelligent you really are, make sure you're using vocabulary words that you can actually define and place in a correct sentence, or else everyone will know that you're faking your intellect.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.