Published on
January 20, 2025
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
February 4, 2025
You can defuse a tense situation or a bomb, while gasses diffuse when released into the air, lampshades help to diffuse light throughout a room, and diffuse pain is spread out over a large area of the body.
Defuse always functions as a transitiveverb meaning “make safe or less dangerous” or “make calmer.” It is pronounced
.
Diffuse is a verb meaning “spread out,” “disperse,” or “scatter.”
Diffuse is also an adjective meaning “spread out,” “dispersed,” or—in the context of communication— “unnecessarily wordy and indirect.”
The adjectivediffuse is pronounced
while the verbdiffuse is pronounced
.
Diffuse vs defuse examples
Diffuse in a sentence
Defuse in a sentence
Skillfully engineered fake news tends to diffuse much more quickly than verified, factual information. [Verb]
The bomb disposal team was able to defuse the device.
The transparent curtains diffuse the light, creating a pleasant ambience. [Verb]
She tried to defuse the situation by changing the subject.
It didn’t take long for the smell of baking to diffuse throughout the house. [Verb]
The president spoke to all the leaders in the region yesterday in an attempt to defuse the crisis.
The problem is no longer concentrated in specific urban areas but has become much more diffuse. [Adjective]
His small talk broke the ice and helped to defuse the tension.
I think his explanation was deliberately diffuse and confusing. [Adjective]
It is questionable whether this will defuse the increasing threat of political unrest.
NoteWhile the word diffuse is commonly used as a verb meaning “calm” or “weaken” (e.g., diffuse tension/a situation/anger, etc.), it is best to avoid using “diffuse” like this in formal writing such as essays. Many usage guides classify it as a mistake to use “diffuse” instead of “defuse” in this context.
The word lost functions as an adjective (e.g, “a lost dog,” “I got lost on the way here”) or a form of the verb “lose” (e.g., “He’s lost his phone,” “He lost it yesterday”). The word loss functions as a noun (e.g., “a loss of control,” “weight loss”).
Loss and lost can both refer to “having less of something” or “not having something.”
In business, a loss is the opposite of a profit.
A loss can refer to a valued employee leaving a company or the death of a relative or friend.
The adjective lost can mean “missing,” “misplaced,” and “unable to find your way” as well as feeling “uncertain” or “confused.”
The words loss and lost can sound the same when used in natural, everyday speech because the “t” sound in “lost” is sometimes not pronounced when followed by a consonant sound (as in the examples below
).
Loss vs lost examples
Loss in a sentence
Lost in a sentence
Loss of appetite can be a side effect of the treatment.
Published on
January 13, 2025
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
February 18, 2025
If a boss has instilled good morale in their staff, it means there is a strong team spirit among their employees. But if a boss has good morals, it means they have strong ethical principles.
Morale (spelled with an “e”) is a noun referring to the level of enthusiasm, confidence and satisfaction felt by a person or group (e.g., “The victory boosted morale among the soldiers”).
Moral (spelled without “e”) is an adjective relating to beliefs about right and wrong meaning “ethical,” “honest,” “correct,” or “fair” (e.g., “She told the truth because it was the moral thing to do”).
Moral can also be used as a noun meaning “lesson,” “message,” or “principle” (e.g., “the moral of the story”) or—when used in the plural—“beliefs or principles about what is right and wrong or correct behavior” (e.g., “The school had a reputation for instilling strong morals and discipline”).
Moral is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable
but morale is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable
.
Moral vs moral examples
Moral in a sentence
Morale in a sentence
The decision was taken for political rather than moral reasons. [Adjective]
The merger of the two companies has had a negative effect on morale. [Noun]
What was the moral of the story? [Noun]
Team morale is very high. [Noun]
At that time, the profession of acting was associated with decadence and loose morals. [Noun]
Cancelling the general’s visit to the front line would have been bad for morale. [Noun]
Published on
December 26, 2024
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
January 28, 2025
Nonetheless and nevertheless are very close synonyms meaning “despite that,” “however,” or “all the same” and can be used interchangeably (e.g., “It is unfortunate, but nonetheless/nevertheless true”).
We use the conjunctive adverbsnonetheless and nevertheless to highlight a contrast between the point we are making and what we have just written or said.
Nonetheless and nevertheless are mainly used in formal contexts such as essays.
In modern English, nevertheless is used more frequently than nonetheless.
Nonetheless/nevertheless in a sentence examplesThere are certainly benefits to this strategy, but we nonetheless/nevertheless advise against it.
The box office figures for the two most recent films in the series have been disappointing. Nevertheless/nonetheless, the studio remains firmly committed to the franchise.
Although it is now considered a relatively old technology, it nonetheless/nevertheless remains a viable option for many applications.
The weather was mild for the time of year, but somewhat brisk nonetheless.
A break is a pause from an activity such as study or work, or the place where something splits or cracks (e.g., a break in a bone), while a brake is the part of a bicycle or car that makes it stop or go more slowly.
Break and brake are pronounced in the same way (i.e., they are homophones).
If you break something, you damage it in a way that means it no longer functions (e.g., “I’m always breaking my glasses by sitting on them”).
Brake can also be used as a verb (e.g., “I had to brake hard to avoid hitting the car in front”).
The verb break is an irregular verb (e.g., “I have broken the screen twice,” “I broke the screen yesterday”).
Brake vs break examples
Brake in a sentence
Break in a sentence
I need to get the brakes fixed on my bicycle.
Shall we take a ten-minute break?
The driving instructor told me not to brake so sharply.
The doctor said the break in my arm has healed well.
The car is making a strange noise when I brake.
Sorry, I broke your mug when I was doing the dishes.
You cite a source, article, example, etc. (i.e., “cite” is a verb), but a site is a place, or location, such as a construction site or an internet site (i.e., “site” is a noun).
Cite and site are pronounced in the same way (i.e., they are homophones).
The verb cite means to refer to something to support an argument or as an example (e.g., in an essay), sometimes by repeating exactly what someone else has written or said. It can also mean to officially order that a person appear before a court because they are accused of violating a law.
A site is a location where something significant has taken place (e.g., a “battle site”), a place used for a particular purpose (e.g., a “waste disposal site”), or the land where buildings are located or being built (e.g., a “construction site”, a “prime site”).
Cite vs site examples
Cite in a sentence
Site in a sentence
How you cite a source depends on the citation style you’ve been asked to follow, the type of source you’re citing, and whether it’s a full or in-text citation.
The site for the company’s new manufacturing facility has not been chosen yet.
Social media is often cited as a reason for the spread of misinformation in today’s society.
Archaeologists will begin excavating the historicsite in June.
Published on
December 12, 2024
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
December 30, 2024
The adverbsespecially and specially are both synonyms for “particularly.” In formal writing, we typically use “especially” to mean “above all” and “exceptionally,” but “specially” with “designed,” “built,” “made,” etc. to describe the specific purpose of something.
Use especially to mean “above all” or “very much so” (before a preposition or subordinating conjunction) to emphasize that something applies more to a certain case or scenario (e.g., “It was important, especially for him,” “It is a highly flammable material, especially when dry”).
Use especially to mean “very” or “exceptionally” (e.g., “An especially good solution,” “It is especially flammable when dry”).
Use specially with past participles and the preposition “for” to describe the specific purpose of something (e.g. “a specially made machine,” “a watch specially designed for divers”).
Especially vs specially examples
Meaning
Correct use of especially or specially
Above all
Learning a new language is difficult, especially for adults.
It is an expensive vacation destination, especially at that time of year.
Exceptionally
We think that it is an especially useful tool for students.
The condition of the roads can be especially problematic in winter.
Specifically (purpose)
Finding enough specially trained personnel was extremely difficult.
Published on
December 11, 2024
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
January 21, 2025
The most common spelling of the nounambience is with an “e,” but you can also spell it with an “a” (i.e., ambiance). The “ambience”/“ambiance” of a place is the “feeling” it gives you when you are there.
In American English, there are two ways of pronouncing the word “ambience”/”ambiance” (
or
). Either spelling can be pronounced in either way. In British English, you pronounce it
.
Ambience or ambiance in a sentence examplesThe restaurant’s rustic decor and soft lighting creates a very cozy ambience/ambiance.
I love the lively ambience/ambiance of a big city.
Afternoon starts at 12 p.m. (midday) and finishes at about 5 or 6 p.m., when evening starts. However, as “afternoon” and “evening” are not precisely defined parts of the day, it’s best to clarify exactly what time you mean by “afternoon” with exact times when making plans and arrangements.
We start saying good afternoon instead of “good morning” as soon as the time reaches 12 p.m.
Afternoon in a sentence examplesPerson A: Are you free on Monday afternoon? Person B: Sure, is two thirty okay for you?
Published on
December 10, 2024
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
February 19, 2025
A city is a larger and more important regional center than a town, but what we consider to be “large and important” may be subjective. If an urban center has an airport, freeways, and a metro system, people will typically think of it as a “city,” but if it has one main street with a few stores, offices, and a small bus station, it will probably be considered a “town.”
A place might commonly be referred to as a town in everyday conversation, despite being officially classified as a city under local law—like Abbeville, Alabama, for instance, which has a population of about 2,400.
The nounstown and city are used in some common expressions. You cannot typically use the two words interchangeably in these phrases.
Town vs city examples
Expression with town or city
Meaning
Example in a sentence
Go to town on something
Go to the city on something
To do something very enthusiastically and thoroughly
Wow! The teacher really went to town on your essay; there are so many comments and corrections.
Paint the town red
Paint the city red
To go out to have fun in bars or clubs
Let’s celebrate and paint the town red!
The only game in town
The only game in the city
The best choice or the only available option
When it comes to quality and service, NT&F Solutions is the only game in town!
City slicker
Town slicker
A person who leads a sophisticated urban lifestyle (often derogatory)
City slickers flock to this quaint country town on day trips during the summer months.
It was X city
It was X town
Emphasizes how something was defined or characterized by X (informal).
Episode one was boring city! I don’t think I’m going to continue watching it.
