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!

"One hundred and ten percent"

I don’t mis-use it, but I always have to stop and think about ‘terrific.’ Looks too much like terrible and horrific to be anything positive.

Disenfranchised.
It's used a lot, usually incorrectly

Laying. I was laying on the bed, I had a lay-in.

Unless you are a human-chicken hybrid then the words you want are lying and lie-in.

@MrsFin

"One hundred and ten percent"

Depends on the context. If you give 110% of yourself to something, you are suggesting that you are going to do better than what you would usually do.

The word "quite" when people actually mean "fairly" or "moderately".

I read in their newsletter that a company was raising money to help alleviate depravation in the local area. Commendable.

Depends on the context. If you give 110% of yourself to something, you are suggesting that you are going to do better than what you would usually do.

I understand the maths, thank you.
But you can't deny percentages are often misused.

Mortified (to mean upset) - I think it's a regional thing (no less wrong though!)
On route
Paradigm (I listened to a senior manager's presentation at work once where he used this word no less than six times, all incorrectly; I think he had confused it with paradox)

@BamberGascoine haha me too!! If I see something saying I’m defiantly going to Asda this afternoon I’m like oohh why what’s wrong 👀😂

I'm sure someone must have mentioned flout/flaunt.
People are always flaunting the rules around here (apparently)

@MrsFin

Depends on the context. If you give 110% of yourself to something, you are suggesting that you are going to do better than what you would usually do.

I understand the maths, thank you.
But you can't deny percentages are often misused.

Yes, as a maths teacher I know the common misconceptions of percentages thank you.

@xsquared would you please elaborate further on what you mean by your post about quite and fairly/moderately? Thank you

People frequently use jealous when they mean envious, but I don't think I've ever seen envious used for someone who is jealous. The confusion only seems to go one way

Nonplussed. It means so surprised or confused you don’t know what to do.
It doesn’t sound like it should mean that though. It sounds like it should mean that someone isn’t not impressed.

Cusp

Oh god DP uses so many of these. He doesn’t have a particularly wide vocabulary so uses big words to make himself sound more intelligent but it has the opposite effect!

Also people that consistently use pacific instead of specific kill me! Surely they know it’s not pacific?!

@IloveJudgeJudy The word "quite" means completely or absolutely in the OED.

However, it is often used to mean to a certain degree which implies not "quite" and not complete.
For example, if someone says "It is quite old outside, so bring a coat." then in their opinion it is cold to a certain degree but not complete or absolutely.

Should have spellchecked! Cold not old.

Unconsciously instead of subconsciously.

I was unconsciously doing this or that.

No you weren't. If you were unconscious you'd be unconscious.

In the last few years there's been a huge rise in people that start with "So..." and it drives me nuts.

I don't know why it is or what prompted it but "So..." just took off and often goes along with someone whose voice trails higher at the end of a sentence.

Another one that drives me nuts is "Obviously" which I hear often and usually when you're speaking to someone about something which isn't obvious at all.

Staycation is the one that really annoys me!
It used to mean - staying at home (in your house) but having time off and doing day trips etc.
It’s now been taken over to mean having a holiday in the U.K.
it really annoys me as it’s use instead of holiday seems to imply that going somewhere in the U.K. isn’t a real holiday and it makes me sad that people that can’t afford a foreign holiday are made to feel they aren’t having a ‘proper’ holiday.

Asymptotic instead of asymptomatic. Think that may be a spellcheck error though.

There for their - especially as in my accident they sound different.

@OnlyToWin

Tragedy

Usually used fo convey something really sad - actually means that someone has brought about their own downfall due to a flaw in their own character.

I'm going to be seeing Educating Rita in my dreams now!

Which might be tragic but not a tragedy!

confess I still have to check about Fewer vs Less. Stephen Fry can explain all he likes I still get confused.

Usually fewer is a clear plural. Less isn't. So fewer flowers vs less flour