Tricky Twelfth Grade Word Pairs: List 8

Learn the correct meanings and usages of these commonly confused words for twelfth-grade students.
11 words 1 learner

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. precede
    come before
    Finally, Madoc enters the room, his shadow preceding him, spreading across the floor like a carpet. The Cruel Prince
    To see more usage examples of "precede," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "precede" and "proceed," click here.
  2. proceed
    move ahead; travel onward in time or space
    Taking short steps, I proceed slowly toward it, dreading going in. First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers
    To see more usage examples of "proceed," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "precede" and "proceed," click here.
  3. assure
    inform positively and with certainty and confidence
    They were not angry, they assured her; certainly not, definitely not. Little Fires Everywhere
    To see more usage examples of "assure," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "assure," "ensure" and "insure," click here.
  4. ensure
    make certain of
    All he had to do was test the map, find some way to ensure that it was mostly right. The River
    To see more usage examples of "ensure," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "assure," "ensure" and "insure," click here.
  5. insure
    take out a contract of reimbursement in the case of loss
    The woman at Allstate had tried to convince him to insure his life for more than a million dollars, given that he had four children, and how much the business relied on him. Zeitoun
    To see more usage examples of "insure," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "assure," "ensure" and "insure," click here.
  6. nauseated
    feeling queasy, as though one is about to vomit
    I felt sick in the night and in the morning after breakfast I was nauseated. A Farewell To Arms
    To see more usage examples of "nauseated," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "nauseated" and "nauseous," click here.
  7. nauseous
    causing a sick feeling
    As we drove north on the Pacific Coast Highway, the smoke turned fog-white and nauseous, and a neon sun became visible. The New Yorker
    To see more usage examples of "nauseous," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "nauseated" and "nauseous," click here.
  8. scrimp
    be very thrifty or frugal
    He promises to choose wise investments there and multiply the several thousand dollars the couple has scrimped to save. Enrique's Journey
    To see more usage examples of "scrimp," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "scrimp" and "skimp," click here.
  9. skimp
    supply sparingly and with restricted quantities
    You shouldn't skimp on the chocolate that you mix together, the textures — so always, more chocolate. Salon
    To see more usage examples of "skimp," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "scrimp" and "skimp," click here.
  10. stationary
    standing still
    Harry did not like being stationary; walking had given the illusion that they had a goal. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
    To see more usage examples of "stationary," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "stationary" and "stationery," click here.
  11. stationery
    paper cut to an appropriate size for writing letters
    “Did you put this in my purse?” asked Mother, holding up the pink piece of stationery. The Lions of Little Rock
    To see more usage examples of "stationery," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "stationary" and "stationery," click here.
Created on Wed Jun 25 10:18:25 EDT 2025

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