Tricky words

Most people get these 12 words confused, do you?

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Some words seem interchangeable at first glance, but if you dig a little deeper, you’ll notice they have completely different meanings. Saying "inept" instead of "inapt" or mixing up "anticipate" and "expect" might not seem like a big deal, but it can change the entire meaning of your sentence! Let’s clear up some of the most commonly confused word pairs!

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Both words involve thinking about the future, but "anticipate" means you’re actively preparing for what’s coming, while "expect" just means you think it will happen.

If you expect rain, you think it will rain. But if you anticipate rain, you grab an umbrella before leaving the house. So, while every anticipation is an expectation, not every expectation is an anticipation. See the difference?

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Both of these words describe someone who stands their ground, but the key difference is in attitude. If you're stalwart, you’re loyal, dependable, and firm in your beliefs, whereas if you're stubborn, you may refuse to listen to reason, even when you’re wrong.

One word suggests strength and reliability, while the other implies being difficult for the sake of it. Which of these describes you?

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Both words imply that something is difficult to read, but one of these words refers specifically to messy or unclear writing, while the other refers to something that is unpleasant to read. Do you know which is which?

Exactly, "illegible" may refer to a messy handwriting, like that of doctors. Unreadable, on the other hand, refers to an unenjoyable reading, too. A book with tiny, faded print might be unreadable, but so might a book that’s just terribly written. And what if someone gives you a completely blank stare? Their expression is unreadable, but it’s certainly not illegible!

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A lot of people think introverts are just shy, but that’s not completely true. Shy people feel anxious or nervous in social situations, while introverts simply prefer solitude or small groups to recharge their energy. Can you relate to any of these?

You can be an outgoing introvert who enjoys people but needs alone time afterward. And you can be a shy extrovert who loves being around people but still gets nervous meeting new ones. Shyness is more about anxiety, while introversion is about energy.

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Something is redundant when it is unnecessary because it’s already covered, like saying "free gift."Gifts are free by definition!

Repetitive, however, simply means something happens again and again, which can be annoying but isn’t always unnecessary. For example, if someone tells the same joke three times in a row, they’re being repetitive. But if they say "ATM machine," that’s redundant because the "M" already stands for "machine."

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The similarities in these words are obvious, but they don’t serve the same purposes. "Adverse" describes something negative or harmful, like "adverse weather conditions" or "adverse side effects."

"Averse," on the other hand, refers to your personal dislike for something. For example, "I’m averse to spicy food" means you don’t like it, but it’s not inherently bad.

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These seem similar because they both relate to friendliness, but in different ways. Amicable describes a relationship or situation that is friendly and peaceful, like an amicable divorce (where both parties remain civil).

Amiable, however, refers to a person’s personality, you know? Someone who is warm, kind, and pleasant. Getting these two wrong won’t bring big consequences, but knowing the difference will definitely help you sound smarter!

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This one is a classic, but that’s because they are only different in the prefix. "Disinterested" means impartial or unbiased, the kind of judge one would want in court, right?

On the other hand, "uninterested" means bored or indifferent. If you ask someone about baseball and they shrug, they’re uninterested. But if they’re a referee at a baseball game and they make fair calls without favoring one team, they’re disinterested. It’s a subtle but important distinction!

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If you’re wondering why these words look alike, that’s because they stem from the Latin aptus, which means "fitting," but their meanings have drifted apart. While "inept" means clumsy, unskilled, or just plain bad at something, "inapt" refers to something inappropriate or unsuitable.

Need context? You may use inept to describe a driver who can’t parallel park. Inapt is that joke in the middle of a funeral.

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Similar to another pair in this list, this pair only gets a different prefix; that’s where the confusion comes from. "Disused" refers to something that was once used but is no longer in use, for example, an old railway station that’s now just collecting dust.

"Unused," however, means something has never been used at all, something that is brand new. So, an unused attic might still have a lot of potential, while a disused attic is likely full of cobwebs. We know which one we prefer!

Unique ceremonies

Discover 10 of the weirdest traditions from around the world!

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When you think about it, traditions are a truly unique breed, aren’t they? After all, they come in all shapes and sizes, from a small family tradition involving a special breakfast treat to an annual activity shared by an entire community. In that sense, some traditions around the world may seem downright strange to a keen observer. That’s why we’ve decided to highlight 10 of the weirdest traditions from all over the world for your enjoyment. Keep reading and have fun!

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It’s no secret that Canada is a cold country, and Yukon is definitely one of the coldest regions, with temperatures reaching -81°F in winter. While these harsh temperatures can certainly be challenging, that doesn’t mean residents can’t find fun things to do in the cold. Locals have a unique tradition that involves dipping their heads into the waters of hot springs and waiting for the cold air to freeze them in place, leaving behind some fun icicles in the process.

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You might have some fond childhood memories of rolling down a hill, surely in a safe and controlled environment. However, "Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake," an event held in Gloucester, England, is nothing like those childhood tumbles. For starters, there’s a concrete reward for whoever reaches the bottom of the 200-yard-long hill first: a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese, which is rolled downhill in front of all participants who chase after it. This beloved tradition has been held in Gloucester since at least the 19th century.

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Every year, the city of Lopburi, Thailand, organizes a thank-you banquet for some of its most unique residents: the thousands of monkeys that dwell there. Lopburi is famous for its monkey population, which has adapted to city life and is regularly fed by the locals. However, once a year, during an event known as the Monkey Buffet Festival, people offer fruits and vegetables to the city’s monkeys.

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When you think about it, weddings involve a fair share of weird traditions: from wearing something blue to tossing a bouquet to an excited crowd, newlyweds have to go through an extremely unique checklist. In that sense, the German tradition of Polterabend, while definitely unique, doesn’t seem all that out of place. In this tradition, wedding guests break porcelain to bring the new couple good luck in their marriage. Polterabend is based on an old German adage, "Scherben bringen Glück," which translates to "Shards bring luck."

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All Americans have fond memories of carving a Jack-O-Lantern for Halloween: after all, this holiday is characterized by the scary, creepy, or even goofy faces we carve on our pumpkins. In that sense, the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, holds an annual event every December 23rd known as Noche de Rábanos, which is Spanish for "Night of the Turnips." On this holiday, thousands of people carve intricate and detailed scenes into overgrown turnips, with the most creative carvings competing for several prizes.

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Scrambled eggs are a fun, nutritious, and delicious way to start your day, and in the lovely Bosnian town of Zenica, they have a special significance. On the celebration known as Cimburijada, which loosely translates to "Festival of Scrambled Eggs," residents of Zenica gather to enjoy a communal meal of, of course, scrambled eggs. This celebration is held on the first day of spring, making it a wonderful way to welcome the warm season.

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As we mentioned before, weddings often involve some rather quirky traditions, but Denmark takes it a step further. If you’re Danish and happen to be unmarried by the time you turn 25, be prepared for your friends and family to throw cinnamon at you. Not only that, if you turn 30 and are still unmarried, you might find yourself covered in another type of spice: black pepper.

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Let’s take a quick break to pay homage to a staple of '80s TV shows and movies: the food fight. We could mention countless examples of iconic scenes in which unidentified scoops of food go flying into the faces of joyous teenagers, while someone excitedly yells, "Food fight!" to the crowd. With that in mind, we’d like to highlight some massive, real-life food fights that happen all around the world. For starters, we have La Tomatina, a festival held in Buñol, Spain, where attendees hurl tomatoes at each other. Another example takes place in Ivrea, Italy, during Carnival, where thousands of people enjoy hurling oranges at anyone in sight.

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Up until now, we’ve been focusing on weird customs from abroad, but the truth is that we Americans have our fair share of quirky traditions. One of them is even broadcast from the steps of the White House. The Presidential Turkey Pardon has been a staple of every administration since George H. W. Bush issued the first ceremonial "pardon" in 1989. The pardoned turkeys are then sent to live out their remaining years on a farm or at a petting zoo.

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We’ll end this article with what is probably the weirdest tradition we could find. Groundhog Day is a truly unique celebration that takes place in the United States and Canada on February 2nd, a tradition that dates back to the first European settlers in both countries. The basis of this tradition is an old superstition that states if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow, winter will last for six more weeks. The most famous Groundhog Day celebration in America is held in Punxsutawney, a borough in western Pennsylvania, and revolves around a famous groundhog known as "Punxsutawney Phil."