Language lessons

Irregardless, perusal & more: stop misusing these 10 words

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Language is alive and constantly evolving, yet in our daily lives, we barely scratch the surface of the vast vocabulary, terms, and expressions that comprise it. Many words have faded from use, while others are appropriate only in specific contexts. With this level of complexity, it’s no wonder people frequently confuse words, their meanings, and their proper usage. There’s no shame in that! We’re always learning—and relearning—how to use our language, regardless of age. Here, we’ve gathered 10 English words that are commonly misused in everyday conversation. You may just discover that you’ve been misusing some of them!

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Misuse: Used for emphasis

Correct Use: In a literal sense

In recent years, literally has become a popular way to emphasize statements, but its actual meaning refers to something that is exactly true, without exaggeration. For instance, saying "I literally died laughing" is incorrect—unless you actually passed away from laughter. That, admittedly, would make for an amusing epitaph, though it would be impossible to write in the first person.

The term originated in the late 14th century, derived from the Latin literalis, meaning "of or pertaining to letters." Since the written word was often regarded as a factual and incorruptible source of information, the word came to carry the meaning of something that happened in an exact, factual manner as it was adopted into common usage.

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Misuse: Coincidental or unexpected

Correct Use: A situation that is contrary to what one expects

Often misused to describe anything unusual or coincidental, ironic specifically refers to a situation in which the outcome is opposite to what was anticipated. For instance, it’s considered ironic if a desert floods or if a fire station burns down.

The term stems from the Greek word eironeia, meaning dissimulation or feigned ignorance. If you're still unsure when to use it, reserve the word ironic for instances where there’s a striking contradiction between expectations and reality.

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Misuse: Rare or unusual

Correct Use: One of a kind

Unique signifies something that is singular and unlike anything else. Saying something is "very unique" diminishes its meaning, as uniqueness cannot be qualified—something is either unique or it isn’t.

Originating from the Latin unicus, meaning "single," the term emphasizes exclusivity and should be used in that sense. However, the erroneous usage to mean "uncommon" dates back to the mid-19th century. So if you’ve been misusing this word, don’t feel bad—you’re certainly not alone!

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Misuse: To destroy entirely

Correct Use: To reduce by a tenth

In Roman times, decimate referred to a form of military punishment in which one out of every ten soldiers was executed. The word traces back to the Latin decimare, meaning "to take a tenth." Over time, it has come to imply large-scale destruction, but its original definition suggests only a partial reduction.

While using decimate as a synonym for annihilate is technically imprecise, many linguists argue that its historical meaning was tied to a specific, outdated practice. In fact, by the 17th century, the word had already begun to take on broader connotations. So don’t worry too much about it—unless the Romans come back for vengeance.

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Misuse: Uninterested or bored

Correct Use: Impartial or unbiased

Many people confuse disinterested with uninterested, but they have distinct meanings. Disinterested refers to a lack of bias or a neutral stance, while uninterested indicates a lack of interest or enthusiasm altogether.

However, language is rarely straightforward. Before the 17th century, these two words actually had opposite meanings: disinterested meant "unconcerned," while uninterested was sometimes used to mean "impartial." By the late 18th century, the modern definitions had largely stabilized—but who knows, maybe in a few centuries they’ll switch again. In the meantime, stick to the current usage to avoid confusion.

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Misuse: Amused or entertained

Correct Use: Confused or bewildered

Bemused is often misused as a synonym for amused, sometimes even paired with the adverb wryly to emphasize that interpretation. However, bemused actually means to be perplexed, confused, or lost in thought. By its most widely accepted definition, someone who is bemused isn’t entertained—they’re puzzled by a situation.

But again, nothing is easy in the world of words, and as it turns out, even linguists have been bemused by the term’s origins. The sense of being confused was associated with the word after poet Alexander Pope wrote in 1735 that someone was "bemused in beer." However, recent scholarship suggests he may have been alluding instead to the poetic influence of the Muses, who do seem to meddle in human affairs now and then, inspiring not only works of art but also evolving dictionary entries!

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Misuse: To skim or glance over

Correct Use: To read thoroughly

In informal speech, many people use peruse to mean casually skimming or glancing through text, but its original meaning is quite the opposite. The primary definition of the word is to read something carefully and thoroughly. For example, if you "perused a report" in this sense, it means you examined it in detail.

That said, most dictionaries today accept the informal sense of leisurely inspecting something—a usage that has existed since at least the 19th century. So, using peruse this way isn’t technically incorrect; its appropriateness depends on context. In formal writing or speech, it’s best to stick to the original "thorough" meaning. Either way, peruse can function as a flexible synonym for reading, whether meticulously or more casually.

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Misuse: Raises a question

Correct Use: Circular reasoning

This phrase is often misused to mean "raises the question," but it actually refers to a logical fallacy in which an argument’s premise assumes the truth of its conclusion. For example, saying "He’s a great friend because he’s a good friend" begs the question.

The phrase originates from a somewhat loose 16th-century translation of petitio principii, an Aristotelian term that would be more accurately rendered as "assuming the conclusion." It’s no wonder the misuse is common—the phrase doesn’t make much sense on its own and seems better suited to the idea of "a question that begs to be answered."

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Misuse: Regardless

Correct Use: None, maybe?

Irregardless is a nonstandard word likely formed by blending irrespective and regardless. In most contexts, it’s considered incorrect, or at least highly informal. Linguistically, it’s a confusing construction: the prefix ir- means "not," and the suffix -less means "without," making it a kind of double negative.

Despite its awkward structure, people commonly use irregardless as a synonym for regardless. And to be fair, the word isn’t new—it has stirred controversy since the early 20th century and appeared in print as early as 1795. In any case, unless you’re making a point about how language loves to defy rules and speaker expectations, it’s best to just avoid it.

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Misuse: Nauseated

Correct Use: Causing nausea

Nauseous is often used to describe feeling sick, but it technically refers to something that induces nausea. Ironically, if you say, "I feel nauseous," you’re actually implying that you’re causing someone else to feel sick. The word comes from the Greek nausíā, meaning seasickness, which is derived from naûs, meaning ship.

Nauseous can also mean nauseating, which refers to something that causes nausea. In its primary usage, the word describes things that make people feel sick, like reading a dictionary now and then. But meanness aside, languages evolve, and new meanings are constantly forged in everyday speech. So, no word is entirely incorrect if it can be understood—context is everything!

Stories in the rainbow

Which hue is named after a duck? The origin of color names

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How many colors do you think you could name –and identify– correctly? It may seem like kindergarten business, but beyond the primary colors and their combinations, the shades get more nuanced. Have you ever wondered how hues got their names? What did we call "orange" first, was it the color or the fruit? Let’s explore the history of how color names came to be!

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"Blue" comes from the Old French word bleu, which in turn has roots in the Germanic word blāw. Now, here's where it gets interesting. Originally, blāw meant "shining," referring to the shimmer of light.

It wasn't until later that it specifically described the color of the sea and that of the sky. Think about it: the shade that so many people pick as their favorite might have been called "shimmer".

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The grass is always unripe on the other side of the fence. Or that’s what they might have said in Old English. In the past, their term grēne meant something was immature or not-yet-ready, so it eventually was assigned to the color.

If you pay attention, you might see some shared roots in words like "grow," "grass," and "grain."

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Maybe you guessed it: "Yellow" comes from the Old English word geolu, which is related to words like "gold" and "yolk."

Interestingly, geolu was also used to describe shades of brown and even green! In time it settled into the bright, cheerful color we know and love today: that of sunlight.

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You probably know that purple used to be linked to royalty, power, and riches. The explanation is closely linked with its etymology.

"Purple" derives from the Latin purpura, which refers to a species of sea snail. In ancient times, thousands of snails would have to be milked or crushed to obtain dye of this rare hue, making purple fabrics extremely expensive.

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A color popularly associated with boredom and blandness –sorry, fans of beige! Its name comes from the French term "natural wool," referring to the undyed color of sheep's wool.

Of course, a similar color is "vanilla," which points at the color of the flowers that produce the tasty beans. And what do you know –that term is also associated with mildness.

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You wouldn’t expect such a bright and cheerful color to have originated in a war. But this hue got its name after the Battle of Magenta, fought in Italian territory in 1859.

It’s because this new aniline dye was discovered in France around the same time, and the Franco-Italian victory was honored by assigning it the bloody battle’s name.

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This beautiful blue-green hue gets its name from a bird! The common teal, a small duck with a distinctive colored stripe around its eyes, lent its name to this color.

It's a relatively recent addition to the color lexicon, only becoming popular in the mid-20th century.

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"Indigo" comes from the Latin word indicum, meaning "Indian," because this vibrant dye was originally imported from India to Europe.

Today, we use "indigo" to refer to one of the colors in the rainbow, nestled between blue and violet. In the Hindu religion, this precise hue represents the chakra of the third eye.

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This one's a bit of a late bloomer. Before the juicy orange fruit made its way to Europe from Asia, English speakers didn't really have a specific word for it. They'd call it geoluhread. Does that ring a bell? Exactly, it combines _geolu (_yellow) and read (red), its two neighboring colors.

But when the fruit arrived from Asia, with its Sanskrit term naranga (orange tree), a version of that new word was assigned to the vibrant color.

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The French had a word for a specific chestnut – a large, brown chestnut that grew on a specific type of tree. This term was marron. Marrons were often used to make a reddish-brown dye, which they named after the nuts.

It's not related to the verb "maroon," though. That one derives from the Spanish cimmaron, which meant "wild, untamed, unruly, fugitive."

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Think pink! This delicate color comes from the Dutch word pinksterbloem, which was a mouthful. The term was the name of a type of flower with jagged edges of this hue.

Before, the English terms for this color evoked pale skin: They used "flesh color" or "incarnation."

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The word "red" traces its roots back to the Old English word rēad. It's related to words in other languages like rood in Dutch and rot in German.

In turn, "scarlet" goes back to the Persian word saqerlât, a type of fine cloth. In the Middle Ages, scarlet dye was incredibly expensive, made from the dried bodies of a tiny insect called the kermes. That’s why it became associated with wealth, luxury, and even royalty.

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The color of mystery, elegance, and that little black dress everyone should have in their closet. "Black" comes from the Old English word blæc, which meant "dark" or "ink."

Some of the earliest archives of this word in writing uses blæc to refer to "that dark spot in the middle of the eye."