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PSAT: Commonly Confused Words: List 7

Learn the correct meanings and usages of these commonly confused words you may encounter on the PSAT exam.
13 words 26 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

  1. aural
    of or pertaining to hearing or the ear
    The first method is to teach a song by rote, a technique also known as aural learning, or “by ear.” Music and the Child
    To see more usage examples of "aural," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "aural," "oral" and "verbal," click here.
  2. oral
    using speech rather than writing
    I can stand in front of a class and deliver an oral report fearlessly. Dry
    To see more usage examples of "oral," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "aural," "oral" and "verbal," click here.
  3. verbal
    expressed in spoken words
    I nod, but Ms. Monroe says, “Please give a verbal response.” The Hate U Give
    To see more usage examples of "verbal," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "aural," "oral" and "verbal," click here.
  4. entitle
    give the right to
    The twenty-four teachers had won a contest held by the St. Louis Republic that entitled them to a free stay at the fair at the newspaper’s expense. The Devil in the White City
    To see more usage examples of "entitle," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "entitle" and "title," click here.
  5. title
    the name of a work of art or literary composition
    The title of Mom’s book Count the Ways on Kahlo and Rivera is a line taken from her favorite poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. I'll Give You the Sun
    To see more usage examples of "title," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "entitle" and "title," click here.
  6. entomology
    the branch of zoology that studies insects
    “The study of insects is called ‘entomology,’” Mrs. V said. Out of My Mind
    To see more usage examples of "entomology," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "entomology" and "etymology," click here.
  7. etymology
    a history of a word
    I was thinking a lot about the etymology of the word “grieve”—from the Latin gravare, meaning “to burden,” from gravis, meaning “heavy, grave”—when I started the story. The New Yorker
    To see more usage examples of "etymology," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "entomology" and "etymology," click here.
  8. exercise
    the activity of exerting muscles to keep fit
    The boy looked like he got a lot of fresh air and exercise. Dog Squad
    To see more usage examples of "exercise," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "exercise" and "exorcise," click here.
  9. exorcise
    expel through adjuration or prayers
    They crowded into her darkened room, throwing open the windows, singing hymns and praying over the grieving woman-child, exorcising the demon of grief and calling Ann back to the world in Jesus’ name. The Best of Enemies
    To see more usage examples of "exorcise," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "exercise" and "exorcise," click here.
  10. ferment
    cause to undergo the breakdown of sugar into alcohol
    His mother began making the traditional fruit brandy, sealing it in jars to ferment until the celebration. Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps
    To see more usage examples of "ferment," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "ferment" and "foment," click here.
  11. foment
    try to stir up
    Mom is fomenting her own brand of anarchy closer to home. Dreaming in Cuban
    To see more usage examples of "foment," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "ferment" and "foment," click here.
  12. flaunt
    display proudly
    When the future finally arrived, they didn’t flaunt their modest wealth, but they bought nice clothes, some jewelry for Billie, a Cadillac. Into the Wild
    To see more usage examples of "flaunt," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "flaunt" and "flout," click here.
  13. flout
    treat with contemptuous disregard
    In their eyes, he was a danger to democracy—“a man who flouted the authority of the Senate, who overrode the Constitution while his followers cheered.” The Woman All Spies Fear
    To see more usage examples of "flout," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "flaunt" and "flout," click here.
Created on Tue Jun 10 12:30:06 EDT 2025 (updated Tue Jun 10 12:30:34 EDT 2025)

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