Words that often get misused

[Datesad]

I’ll start.

Enormity.

I’ve seen this used incorrectly in books, articles etc! It doesn’t mean huge!

Generally instead of genuinely! E.g. I generally believe I can do this!

Also this isn’t exactly what you are asking for but in a text when someone means to put definitely but autocorrect changes it to defiantly and they don’t change it. I always read it as defiantly even if I know they mean definitely. E.g. I will defiantly call in at Tesco on the way home from work. Then imagine them roaming the tesco aisles jn defiance!!

Decimate, used to signal almost complete destruction.

Disinterested doesn’t mean uninterested. Discrete is not a fancy way of spelling discreet.

Two words that I misunderstood until recently were erstwhile and august. I thought that erstwhile meant “esteemed”, and august meant “fat”.

Literally.

The over use and irrelevant use of the word ‘literally’ is very annoying.

Cattenberg, I assumed doughty meant fat. I saw it used recently and looked it up, was surprised to learn it meant brave and persistent.

I've noticed on MN that some people think 'mortified' means devastated/sorrowful.

And people are often weary when they should be wary.

@VeniVidiWeeWee

Decimate, used to signal almost complete destruction.

It does mean that doesn't it?

What does disinterested mean then?

What does enormity mean then?

disinterested means unbiased and uninterested means having no interest in something. A judge should be disinterested but not uninterested.

Ambivalent. It means internally conflicted or having contradictory opinions on something and doesn't mean not really bothered.

The whole eligible/illegible thing makes me crazy. I saw someone described on TV as an illegible batchelor recently.

@beguilingeyes

The whole eligible/illegible thing makes me crazy. I saw someone described on TV as an illegible batchelor recently.

Was he a closed book?

For a long time I thought bucolic meant something close to alcoholic.

Woman
Girl
Female
Perfect

@Classica

I've noticed on MN that some people think 'mortified' means devastated/sorrowful.

And people are often weary when they should be wary.

Yes. "My granny died and I'm mortified." Why? Did she die in flagrante with the mayor in front of the whole village?

@frogswimming enormity means something extremely serious, grave, a crime, even.

Having looked it up, I think it could actually also be used to mean something on a huge scale, but it’s different to just meaning ‘big’ which is what it is often used for.

Disinterested means when you can consider something without a direct personal interest in the outcome of a situation or argument. Uninterested means just not taking an interest full stop. More commonly though disinterested is used interchangeably with uninterested and I think that is now becoming accepted. Disinterested actually is used mostly in a legal context, for obvious reasons

This is not the right place to introduce this new word I came across recently, nevertheless, I offer it to you. Testiculating, used to describe the PM's arm-waving, spluttering, mansplaining delivery of copious amounts of waffle.

@longwayoff

This is not the right place to introduce this new word I came across recently, nevertheless, I offer it to you. Testiculating, used to describe the PM's arm-waving, spluttering, mansplaining delivery of copious amounts of waffle.

@longwayoff love this!

[quote Datesad]@frogswimming enormity means something extremely serious, grave, a crime, even.

Having looked it up, I think it could actually also be used to mean something on a huge scale, but it’s different to just meaning ‘big’ which is what it is often used for.

Disinterested means when you can consider something without a direct personal interest in the outcome of a situation or argument. Uninterested means just not taking an interest full stop. More commonly though disinterested is used interchangeably with uninterested and I think that is now becoming accepted. Disinterested actually is used mostly in a legal context, for obvious reasons[/quote]
....

Borrowed instead of loaned as in I borrowed her the money
Also the words literal and violence usually used by Twitter idiots when people state accurate facts/information that someone else doesn't like words are not literal violence, they can be hurtful, harmful or hateful and can even insite violence however they can never be literal violence

@frogswimming

That's how decimate is used now. Originally it meant that one tenth of something was destroyed. It originates as a punishment for a Roman army unit.

On route instead of en route

It actually meant that every tenth man in a group was executed by his peers

'Yes. "My granny died and I'm mortified." Why? Did she die in flagrante with the mayor in front of the whole village?'