Sound-alike Words: Do You Hear What I Hear?

Elicit, to draw out, evoke. Her impassive manner elicited rage from her husband.
Illicit, illegal, as in illicit drugs.

Factious, given to forming parties or factions in opposition to governments. Factious politics in Washington, D.C.
Fractious, tending to cause or make trouble. Fractious behavior.
Facetious, jocular or witty in an inappropriate or silly manner. He was by turns silly and facetious.

Complacent means pleased or satisfied with the way things are, with how they affect one's self. It also means self-satisfied or smug.
Complaisant means attempting or eager to please or satisfy, obliging or affable. For example, sycophants are so complaisant.
Compliant means to be submissive. The regulatory world uses the word to indicate that a person or a company is in compliance or is compliant with certain governmental requirements. If we file our income tax on time, we're in compliance with IRS regulations, but does that make us submissive? Ask a Tea Party follower.

Thus, complacent refers to a satisfied state of mind. Both compliant and complaisant refer to a disposition to behave or conduct oneself in a way that pleases or satisfies others, not yourself. The second two words almost have an opposite meaning from the first, yet they all sound alike.

Discrete means separate or distinct. The scientists isolated five discrete viruses that they believe are responsible for causing the medical condition.
Discreet means showing good judgment, especially in terms of holding one's tongue. The best butlers are discreet. It can also mean modest and understated. For example, the discreet elegance of an interior decor, or a discreet neighborhood where no one puts on airs (affects an upper crust accent). The word discretion means displaying the quality of being discreet. Everyone confided in him because he was the height of discretion.

Allude means to hint at or refer to in passing. He alluded to the effects of a strong Euro and a relatively weak dollar. She alluded to the wide-spread aspirations created by a burgeoning middle class.
Elude means to escape, get away with. He went through security with more than an ounce of water and somehow managed to elude detection. The trio managed to elude police despite a high-speed chase.
Illude is not a word.

Gorilla is an ape.
Guerrilla (1 U, 2Rs and 2Ls) is a kind of soldier or warfare.

An eminent person is someone who is well known. A cardinal in the Catholic Church is sometimes called his eminence, meaning someone who is revered or well known.
Immanent means staying within, inherent. It also means taking place only in the mind, not outside it. This word also has a theological meaning, dwelling in the universe or dwelling in time.
Making matters more complicated, imminent means something that is about to happen. The attack was imminent.

Abstract means difficult to understand, theoretical or detached. It also means a short synopsis or summary of an article's main points. Oddly enough, abstract also means ''to steal,'' as in, ''He abstracted the attention of the professor.''
Abstruse means difficult to understand or dense.

Next month: Affect/Effect. Are there others that you would like me to cover? Send me a note and allude to your favorites.

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